Salem, MA voted unanimously to eliminate and replace 619 gender-specific words from city ordinances
Salem, MA implementing gender neutral language
The Salem City Council voted unanimously to eliminate 619 gender-specific words from city ordinances and replace them with gender-neutral language. The Council decided against changing the city's charter and zoning code due to issues of complexity. The Council also decided to preserve the gendered term "manhole" because the gender neutral alternative term "maintenance hole" already refers to a different kind of in-street infrastructure which could confuse emergency response services.
Newsworthy
Salem OKs making ordinances gender-neutral | Local News | salemnews.com
SALEM — Gender-specific words are being completely eradicated from Salem’s ordinances, barring one notable exception: manhole.
Salem City Council Debates Use Of 'Manhole' And Other Gender-Specific Words | WBZ NewsRadio 1030
The council has voted in favor of removing hundreds of gender-specific words from official city ordinances and zoning rules -- like changing the word "chairman" to "chair" or "chairperson."
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