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Waage mit zwei Figuren und einem Sternchen, Schriftzug Gleichstellungsbüro
Panoramic view of the North Campus © Roland Baege​/​TU Dortmund

Pair shapes

Paired forms are mainly used in places where men and women are to be made explicitly visible. They appear as full forms or as short forms.

Advantages and disadvantages of paired forms:

In contrast to gender-neutral formulations ("the students"), gender becomes a central element in terms of content when using paired forms ("students"). However, the paired forms exclude people who do not identify as men or women. You should bear in mind that when naming and visualizing the gender dualism (man-woman), you are moving within the generally established system of thought of a binary gender.
If you want to use gender-inclusive language that includes and addresses, for example, people with the gender entry diverse or non-binary people, you should use the gender star or the gender gap.

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