Uttarakhand Governor Baby Rani Maurya has cast light on the need to embrace gender neutral words for addressing governing officials. In a freshly issued order, Maurya asked that the term "Honourable Governor" be used instead of "His Excellency The Governor" for greeting the Governor. Those who do not consider gender neutral language of much importance may dub Maurya's order as a whim. Just another office-bearer issuing yet another order to suit their sensibilities. But the governor has set a great example by demanding that her title remains free of mention of any gender.
It would have been easier for her to merely ask people to replace "His" with a "Her". But Maurya chose to opt for a neutral title, which creates an awareness on the need for inclusive and neutral titles. This is also a perfect opportunity for everyone else to hop on the wagon and make all official titles in India inclusive and gender neutral.
Who would anyway want to be stuck with a colonial title like "His Excellency", which sounds like something which should have left India when the British did
SOME TAKEAWAYS-
- Uttarakhand Governor Baby Rani Maurya has asked that the term "Honourable Governor" be used instead of "His Excellency The Governor" for greeting the Governor.
- It would have been easier for her to merely ask people to replace "His" with a "Her".
- A gender neutral address of a designation is also inclusive of transgender people.
The gender bias in our country is very deep-seated and definitive. It reflects in everything from our culture, to our social dictates and even in our language. There are certain attributes and perks which are exclusively reserved for men in our society. Before Independence, patriarchy ensured that male heirs not just inherited wealth but familial and governance titles from their fathers and forefathers. While the titles hold no values today, men still hold the position of authority in our society. The society entrusts them the responsibility of running their homes, societies and even the country. People are still not used to women stepping out for work, to earn for the family and to even governing the country. Which is why we have still not rid ourselves of the archaic system of addressing governing officials which colonialism left in its wake.
The percentage of women who make it to top government and state positions is so less, that no one ever feels the need for the titles to be inclusive
However, things are changing now. Currently, we have six female state governors in office. Also, more women are fast moving up in judiciary and political ranks. Not just that, a gender neutral address of a designation is also inclusive of transgender people who do not identify with any gender at all. Our country is slowly evolving into a more accepting community. Just look at how warmly everyone welcomed the end of Section 377 some days ago. In future, hopefully our mindset will be open enough to allow people into higher offices without raising questions on their gender or sexuality. Thus gender neutral titles will be fair to them as well.
There is nothing to lose if we take a cue from Maurya's order and adopt it in all offices and for all designations stuck with gendered and colonial titles. This will make women like Maurya feel more in place. They won't feel as if they are wearing a one-size-fits-all garment, which is way past its shelf life, yet manages to make them feel like a misfit.
Also Read: Now Women Are Enduring Dress Policing On Their Beloved Nighties
Yamini Pustake Bhalerao is a writer with the SheThePeople team, in the Opinions section. The views expressed are the author’s own
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