Oxford University is all set to change its 800-year Latin ceremony to tailor it for the benefit of non-binary students. The university will be using gender-neutral language while conferring degrees to students to make it more inclusive. The Dons (university teachers) will vote on the proposal, deemed “necessary” to change the Latin ceremonial text on April 29, which will come into effect across all ceremonies from October, according to a report in The Telegraph.
“The changes involve stripping a Latin message of congratulations of words that are grammatically gendered masculine or feminine,” the report highlighted, adding that a gazette had been issued to alert faculties about the planned changes.
Instead of referring to male students as “Magistri’ (master), the proposed text will use the term “vos” which is a neutral term for “you”. The word “doctores” (doctors), which is also masculine, could be changed.
Additionally, for undergraduates, the word for “who”, which has a masculine and feminine form, will be replaced with a neutral word.
“Similar changes have been proposed for the specific wording used in degree ceremonies for awards in arts, music, medicine, law, philosophy and other specialisms.”
Apart from the degree ceremonies, the gender-neutral language will also be used in other formal occasions. For example, in the ceremony for the admission of a new Vice-Chancellor, the retiring Vice-Chancellor will say a few words not about “his/her” tenure but about “their” time at the helm.
Dr Jonathan Katz, a Latin expert who serves as the university’s public orator, has approved the linguistic changes.
“The proposed changes before Congregation create a single text for each ceremony, covering all options students now have for registering genders in line with legal reporting requirements for higher education,” an Oxford University spokesperson said.
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Ever since the Labour government came to power in the UK, the push for gender-neutral language has increased. Last month, the National Health Service (NHS) staffers in the UK were told to not call fat people “obese, in a fresh guidance issued by the National Institute of Health and Care Excellence (NICE).
The medicine watchdog said the workers should instead describe the overweight as “people with obesity”. Apart from switching the term for obese people, the guide also advises against using diabetics, schizophrenics and alcoholics to describe the patients.