Public funding recipients should refrain from promoting gender-related issues.
In a move that has sparked heated debates, Germany's Culture Minister Wolfram Weimer has imposed a ban on gender-inclusive language in his department. The controversial decision, which forbids the use of plurals with asterisks or other non-standard gender markers in official communications, has been met with resistance from several federal ministries and cultural institutions.
Weimer, appointed as Culture Minister in May 2025, is known for his conservative editorial background and has been vocal about his stance on language policies. He argues that this move preserves the "beauty" of the German language and opposes what he describes as "guardive language education," suggesting that gender-inclusive language divides society.
However, the ban has not been widely supported by other federal ministries, especially those led by the SPD (Social Democratic Party). Several ministries, including the German Journalists' Association, have rejected Weimer's initiative, stating it interferes with broadcasting freedom. The German Journalists' Association, in particular, opposes the ban, arguing that it restricts a widely used practice intended to promote gender equality in official documents and communications.
The controversy reflects a broader societal debate in Germany about the role of gender in language and official communication. Sven Lehmann, the chairman of the Culture Committee in the Bundestag, criticized Weimer's initiative, calling him a "cultural missionary." Misbah Khan, the deputy chair of the Green parliamentary group, sees an "implicit threat" in Weimer's statements, believing it to be an attack on the freedom of art and culture and an attempt to discipline critical voices.
Thuringia instructed its state authorities to avoid "grammatically incorrect gender language" at the end of 2022, while Bavaria banned "gender language with special characters for gender specification" in authorities in spring 2024. Mika Beuster, DJV chairman, believes it is none of the Culture Minister's business whether public broadcasters use gender language in their contributions.
Weimer's stance is rooted in his belief that language should unite, not divide, and that it deepens societal division when used for enforced gendering. He rejects any "paternalistic language education" and believes enforced gendering does not reflect how the majority in Germany speaks. Despite this, he has urged all publicly funded institutions such as museums, foundations, or broadcasting to follow his example and ban gender-inclusive language with special characters.
Khan believes that institutions that do not comply with Weimer's request risk losing relevant funding. However, it remains to be seen how the ongoing debate will unfold and whether other federal ministries will follow Weimer's lead or continue to use gender-inclusive language in their official communications.
[1] German Culture Minister Bans Gender-Inclusive Language [2] German Ministries Defy Culture Minister's Ban on Gender-Inclusive Language [3] The Debate Over Gender-Inclusive Language in Germany
[1] The controversial policy-and-legislation decision made by German Culture Minister Wolfram Weimer, banning gender-inclusive language in his department, has sparked heated politics and general news.
[2] Following Weimer's ban, several federal ministries and cultural institutions have shown resistance, doubting the validity of this move and the potential restrictions it imposes on their communications, a topic currently widely debated in Germany.
