Guidelines on the Use of Gender-Fair Language in the Judiciary and Gender-Fair Courtroom Etiquette (Philippines)

In recognition of the dignity of every human person, the Guidelines declare that courts should not perpetuate gender stereotypes, which rest on unfounded generalizations regarding the characteristics and role of binary and non-binary genders and influence the perspectives of judges and litigants alike. To this end, the Guidelines set out prescriptions for the use of gender-sensitive language in the Philippine judiciary. The Guidelines provide for the elimination of written and spoken language that excludes or renders invisible persons of another gender, sexual orientation, gender identity and expression, and sex characteristics (SOGIESC). For instance, the use of generic masculine terms (e.g., man, mankind) must be replaced with gender-neutral mass nouns such as people, persons and humankind. The Guidelines also provide for the elimination of language that: (i) trivializes or diminishes the stature of persons of another gender and/or people with diverse SOGIESC, e.g., feminine suffixes or unnecessary references to the person's sex suggestive of inferiority of women occupying such positions (e.g., executrix, usherette); and (ii) fosters unequal gender relations (e.g., man and wife, young men and girls). The Guidelines further require that sexist language in quoted material be removed.