NextFin news, On Wednesday, September 24, 2025, the Quebec government announced it will ban the use of recently invented gender-neutral pronouns and words in all official communications and documents. The decision was made to preserve the clarity and integrity of the French language, according to French-language Minister Jean-François Roberge.
The updated language policy targets newly emerging gender-neutral words, including pronouns like "iel," which is used as a singular gender-neutral pronoun equivalent to "they" in English. It also prohibits inclusive writing styles that blend masculine and feminine forms, such as "étudiant.e.s," which refers to both male and female students.
Minister Roberge said the use of such words by public bodies has increased, causing confusion. He stated, "It's as if everyone had their own grammar. It doesn't make sense." He emphasized that the move is about protecting the language, not excluding non-binary people, adding, "We are open-minded. We want people to be happy. We have some people who are gender-fluid. They are who they are, they are who they want to be, and this won’t change."
The province will still allow non-binary individuals to use the gender marker "X" on certain government documents.
The policy currently applies to government departments and municipalities, with plans to extend similar rules to schools, universities, and the healthcare system.
French presents challenges for gender-neutral language because many words have distinct masculine and feminine forms. The government stated it is acceptable to add the feminine ending in parentheses, such as "étudiant(e)," but a 2021 inclusive grammar guide from a Quebec City trans rights group advises against parentheses, as they may imply other genders are less important.
Another issue is the lack of consensus on how to make adjectives agree with gender-neutral pronouns. Minister Roberge noted, "There are things that are incompatible with grammar."
The announcement drew criticism from Manon Massé, a member of the legislature with the leftist party Québec solidaire, who accused the government of inventing problems to distract from their record, stating on social media, "No one asked for this. Their days in power are numbered, and this is their priority?"
This report is based on information from The Canadian Press, first published on September 24, 2025.
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