Guidelines on the Use of Gender-Sensitive Language at the Bauhaus-Universität Weimar (MdU 31/2022)
The Bauhaus-Universität Weimar attaches great importance to including and addressing all people, regardless of their sex or gender identity. As a modern and forward-looking institution that is aware of its social responsibility, it contributes to the equal treatment of people of all genders through the use of gender-appropriate language and aims to create a study and work environment that is free of discrimination and fit for the future.
In its meeting on 5 October 2022, the University Senate therefore adopted Guidelines on the Use of Gender-Sensitive Language at the Bauhaus-Universität Weimar (MdU 31/2022) with a large majority. The guidelines regulate the uniform use of gender-sensitive formulations in all publications of internal communication and external presentation of the university. This includes, for example, normative texts such as study and examination regulations, but also job advertisements and websites.
Advice and support:
Tina Meinhardt, the central Equal Opportunity Officer, and the staff of the Equal Opportunity Office are contact persons for the topic of gender-sensitive language.
The German-language glossary »Gendersensibel formulieren« (»Gender-sensitive formulations«) and the language guide »Sprache gemeinsam verändern« (»Changing language together«) published by the Equal Opportunity Office offer concrete examples and approaches for dealing with complex linguistic expressions and support students and staff at the Bauhaus-Universität Weimar in thinking about, including and addressing people of all genders in communication.
Note for students and teachers:
The Guidelines on the Use of Gender-Sensitive Language passed by the University Senate make it clear that gender-sensitive language cannot be established as a binding formal criterion for examination performance and may therefore neither be used to the advantage nor to the disadvantage of students in contexts governed by examination law (see MdU 31/2022, p. 240).
