B.C. becomes first province to remove ‘outdated’ gendered and binary language

B.C. will soon become the first province in Canada to remove gendered and binary language from government regulations.

Brenda Bailey, Minister of Jobs, Economic Development and Innovation, introduced legislation to “correct outdated language by amending more than 2,300 instances of outdated gendered and binary terms from 21 ministries across 210 provincial statutes,” according to a release from the province.

Some of the changes include terms such as “he/she” or “sister/brother,” and those will be replaced with gender-neutral alternatives.

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In addition, terms such as “chairman” or “workmen” will be updated to refer to the “chair” or “workers.”

“Trans and non-binary people, particularly youth, can be erased by laws that use only he and she,” said Adrienne Smith, litigation director at the Catherine White Holman Wellness Society trans legal clinic. “This change signals to those people that they are important, and that they are included and protected by the law.”

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Since 2020, the government has also amended more than 1,400 instances of outdated gendered and binary language from provincial regulations, according to the province.

“The Government of British Columbia has an obligation to serve all citizens respectfully and equitably,” said Aaron Devor, founder and inaugural chair in transgender studies at the University of Victoria. “Ensuring that government documents use language that recognizes and includes British Columbians of all genders brings us one step closer to that ideal.”