inclusive language

The Council of Europe’s new convention on preventing and combating violence against women has inclusive language covering lesbian, bisexual, and transgender women. The document, approved Wednesday by representatives of the foreign ministers of member states, obligates signatories to “take the necessary legislative and other measures to promote and protect the right for everyone, particularly women, to live free from violence in both the public and the private sphere.” It is to be implemented without discrimination based on sexual orientation, gender identity, and numerous other characteristics.

Gay couples ready to marry in New York hit a small speed bump on the road to wedding bliss when they tried to fill out marriage license applications early Tuesday morning. While the forms were made available to same-sex couples for the first time, the language on the applications still used the terms “bride” and “groom.”

'Hen' may be used to refer to someone whose gender is unknown.

Democratic Representatives from Wisconsin Gwen Moore and openly gay Rep. Mark Pocan, have proposed legislation that would provide assistance for runaway and homeless LGBT youth.

The U.S. House of Representatives today reauthorized the LGBT-inclusive Senate version of Violence Against Women Act, despite objections from some Republicans about language protecting LGBT, Native American, and undocumented victims of domestic violence. The bill now heads to President Obama's desk, where he has promised to sign it into law.