French Inclusive Language with Respect to Gender

The French language typically distinguishes between the masculine and feminine forms of pronouns and many occupations. However, several stylistic writing choices can be made to combine these forms into an inclusive/contracted form.

Neutral Language in French (the Epicene)

Epicene words are those which do not convey any gender. Many of these words exist as alternatives to inclusive/contracted forms in French. Epicene words are neutral, and allow you to address women, men and all people who do not identify with either of these two genders. 

The table below shows some examples between masculine, feminine, contracted forms and their equivalent epicene term.

Masculine	Feminine	Contracted	Epicene
Le directeur	La directrice	La∙le directeur∙ice	La direction
Le médecin	La médecine	La∙le médecin∙e	Le corps médical
Le professionnel	La professionnelle	La∙le professionnel∙le	Le corps professionnel
L’enseignant	L’enseignante	L’enseignant∙e	Le personnel enseignant
Le collaborateur	La collaboratrice	La∙le collaborateur∙ice	Le personnel

Avoiding Gender Altogether

Use the infinitive to avoid mentioning gender when it is not necessary, or when the genders of your recipients are not known:

• Il faut avoir 18 ans pour avoir le droit de vote.
• Compétences requises : Être capable de travailler en équipe.
• Veuillez remplir le formulaire puis l’envoyer.

Avoiding Gender Epithets

Using epithets, like the word man (L’homme) to refer to humankind (l’humanité), are often ambiguous and should be avoided.

How to Avoid Epithets

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French Terms to Avoid in Documents

Avoid expressions that come from a patriarchal and sexist system, especially in administrative documents and forms:

Terms to Avoid and their Substitutes in French Documents

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Alternative to the Point Médian/Interpoint

Some people may prefer not to use the dotted contracted form in French due to aesthetic reasons. If this is the case, then the duplicated gendered terms can be used:

• Les étudiantes et les étudiants…
• Les traducteurs et les traductrices…

Double Designation with an Adjective

If you use double designation and must use an adjective, follow the proximity agreement (agreement to the name / closest subject) which allows, if we respect the alphabetical order, to alternate in a text masculine or feminine word. 

• Les vice-recteurs et les vice-rectrices sont compétentes.

Using the Point Médian/Interpoint

The inclusive form of a word in French is often created by using an interpoint or point médian  (∙) to combine the masculine form with the feminine suffix.

See the table below for how to form the inclusive contraction:

Masculine	Feminine	Inclusive Form
Un ingénieur	Une ingénieure	Un∙e ingénieur∙e
Un chercheur	Une chercheuse	Un∙e chercheur∙euse
Un infirmier	Une infirmière	Un∙e infirmier∙ère
Un professeur	Une professeure	Un∙e professeur∙e
Le traducteur	La traductrice	La∙le traducteur∙rice
Un étudiant	Une étudiante	Un∙e étudiant∙e
Il	Elle	Iel (jɛl)
Ils	Elles	Iels (jɛl)
Lui	Elle	Ellui (elɥi)
Celui	Celle	Cellui (sɛlɥi)
Ceux	Celles	Celleux (sɛlø)

Adjective Declension in Inclusive French

Additionally, in French adjectives are also declined as a function of the gender of noun they describe:

• Les traducteur∙rices sont compétent∙es.
• Les étudiant∙es sont actif∙ves. 

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*This page is adapted from the Guide de Langage Inclusif prodced by Amnesty International.