Image: (APA/HELMUT FOHRINGER)
The recommendations of the Council for German Spelling, which were updated a few days ago, must be followed when preparing documents and completing tasks. It is stipulated that women and men are linguistically equal, but that gender stars, gaps, colons and internal I are dispensed with. The decree had already caused criticism in advance.
The official set of rules of the Council for German Spelling will be “taken over into the Chancellery Regulations of the State of Lower Austria for all employees of the state administration in Lower Austria from August 1, 2023”, the state announced in a broadcast on Friday. The chancellery regulations regulate a uniform procedure for handling business cases in all departments of the state administration and are thus “the basis for a uniform and understandable appearance” to the outside world.
Disciplinary Actions for Violations
According to the state, there was previously a binding recommendation on gender, but now the rules issued are mandatory for state employees, and were explained on request. The change “serves, among other things, to improve the readability and comprehensibility of official texts,” it said. In the case of “repeated violations” there is a risk of disciplinary measures – from a warning to a fine.
Specifically, the following sentence is included in the chancellery regulations: “When preparing documents and dealing with matters, the official regulations and recommendations, in particular “gender-equitable spelling” of the German Spelling Council (https://www.rechtschreibrat.com/) must be followed. “
“Equality between men and women”
It was important “to create clarity for our employees in the state of Lower Austria on this side issue as well – at a time when a wide variety of gender forms and variants caused uncertainty in the application,” said Governor Johanna Mikl-Leitner (ÖVP ) with: “Today and in the future, we say: Pupils, teachers, ladies and gentlemen.”
The rules “ensure that women and men are completely equal”, as recommended by the Council for German Spelling. “In a time of increasing ambiguity and public debate on this topic, this is the completely logical and pragmatic approach for normal-thinking people,” added Mikl-Leitner.
Farmer sees “liberation strike”
“We are putting a stop to the gender madness and are thus taking a liberating step towards the usual normality,” said Deputy Governor Udo Landbauer (FPÖ). The project laid down in the black and blue working agreement is now being implemented. “Genderstern, Binnen-I and Co are nonsensical and miss the real problems and concerns of families by miles,” said the liberal state party leader. Lower Austria is also a “pioneer and mastermind” here.
Source: Nachrichten
