What exactly is it about? In the discussion, it is repeatedly argued that surveys clearly show that around two thirds of the population in Germany reject gender language.

What is it? That's right. There are these surveys.

However: The surveys never sufficiently clarify what exactly the respondents are against. None of the surveys clarify what "gendering" actually means. Most people do not answer how they rate gender-conscious language, but whether they like the gender star. However, reducing the topic of "gender language" to the gender star is clearly wrong. The real question when it comes to gender language is whether the "generic masculine" is sufficient, i.e. whether the masculine form (e.g. "teacher") is enough, because this form always "means" all genders, or whether women and, if applicable, non-binary genders should also be explicitly mentioned. The gender asterisk is only one of There are many ways to solve this problem, for example the so-called "couple form" ("teachers"). Other surveys show that only 24% are in favor of the generic masculine, just under 57% want to explicitly include women ("teachers") and a further 9% also want to refer to other genders (by using a gender symbol, for example the gender star). 

Our conclusion: The claim that seventy to eighty percent of Germans reject "gender language" is not correct. These seventy to eighty percent reject gender signs (e.g. the gender star or gender gap). That is something else. 

Significance for marketing and communication: Rejection exists, that's a fact. And no matter how justified the rejection is, it can lead to the rejection of gendering being transferred to the communicating company. Anyone who "hates" gendering has bad feelings when he (or she) is addressed in a gendered way. Whether (and how) companies use gender in marketing and communication therefore also depends on who their customers are and how they feel about gender. However, we believe that it is less a question of "if" and more a question of "how". Because you can also speak in a gender-conscious way without being noticeably gendered. To do this, it is often enough to dispense with gender signs (such as the gender asterisk). In the end, it is simply a question of strategy, i.e. what the company wants to achieve.

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