The National Assembly of Venezuela is on the way to sanction an inclusive language law, while the LGBTQ community demands real inclusion

(CNN Spanish) – The National Assembly of Venezuela approved this Tuesday in the first discussion the Law for the promotion and use of language with gender awareness.

Deputy Niloha Delgado, of the ruling United Socialist Party of Venezuela and who presented the project, stressed that the proposal is linked to non-sexist language and explained that it consists of 10 articles that, she assured, aim to promote and guarantee the use of language with gender awareness in oral and written communication.

Delgado also stressed that the intention is to avoid the use of the universal masculine, make women visible and promote the equal presence of men and women, while urging the use of the female gender in public and professional positions, as well as in the State and in the media. After approval, a mixed commission was created that will be in charge of promoting the project in the following phases and together with the Family and Integral Social Development Commissions.

The questioned President Nicolás Maduro surprised many by using inclusive language in his July 5 speech, for the celebration of Venezuela’s Independence Day. On that occasion he said that the rescue of social welfare “must be the commitment of everyone, everyone and everyone.”

NGO Affirmative Union: We require and demand rights

Quiteria Franco, director of the NGO Unión Afirmativa, defender of the rights of the LGBTQ community, told CNN that what they require and demand are rights, legal protection to create their families, a dignified life and that they do not kill them, not a inclusive language.

In Venezuela equal marriage, the right to adoption for these couples or the possibility of identity change for trans people is not allowed.

He says he does not know in detail the legal proposal, but considers that in any case that step in the National Assembly does not solve the real problems of the people. Franco adds that this does not prevent or punish hate crimes against LGTBQ people, femicides or clandestine abortions.

In the opinion of this defender of human rights, both the Parliament and the opposition remain distant from the real needs of women, the LGBTQ community and the Venezuelan citizenry in general.

Franco considers that what is being discussed in the Legislative Branch is a legal instrument that is not only controversial, but also “trivializes in some way the demands of rights. He emphasizes that “there are serious studies on inclusive language that go beyond including an X or an @ or an e”. He concludes by ensuring that after completing a master’s degree in linguistics he can ensure that “language is not changed by laws, it does citizenship through its use ”.