Rio de Janeiro School Supports Gender-Neutral Vocabulary, Sparking Controversy

RIO DE JANEIRO, BRAZIL – The parents of students at the Colégio Liceu Franco-Brasileiro (Franco-Brasileiro High School), located in Laranjeiras, Rio de Janeiro’s South Zone, agreed yesterday to a school circular letter that advised on the “adoption of grammatical strategies for gender neutralization within the institution”.

The change caused great repercussion among those responsible. According to the school’s administration, the goal of gender-neutral grammar is to tackle male chauvinism and sexism in the debate concerning the inclusion of people not identified with the binary gender system.

According to the text, the change allows “teachers and students to freely express their gender identity, contributing to a more dignified and equal representation of the different genders”. In the circular letter sent to parents, the school says that the Diversity and Inclusion Committee will hold lectures on the matter.

Parents diverge on change

Universa news site talked to a number of parents about the change announced by the school. Some were favorable and others not so much. The father of a 7th grade student, who requested to remain anonymous, said that he is not against teachers and students addressing each other in a “third gender”.

“This circular letter produced great repercussion among the students’ parents. Everyone was taken by surprise. I am not against the school accepting this kind of communication. Since I was born, I recognize myself as a man, heterosexual, but I think of those who are born and do not fit into a pattern. I can’t imagine what it must be like for these people to hear others talking to them, referring to them in a way they don’t feel is appropriate,” said the father.

“I can think outside my bubble. If the school has or will have students who will feel better with this kind of communication I can’t be opposed. It won’t change my son’s values. If it will make other people feel good, OK. It won’t change my life or my son’s,” he added.

However, the issue that has caused a great deal of negative repercussions among parents is the potential for change in the teaching of the Portuguese language. A mother of a 6th grade student also talked to the site and asked not to have her name disclosed. In her opinion, there is no reason for the school to adopt this type of change.

“We are demanding a position from the school, everyone was taken by surprise. I am against a change in teaching the Portuguese language. I’m absolutely against it. The gender of some words is defined by an article. Portuguese is very complex and I don’t think there’s any need for this change. It’s a trend that is gaining strength in school environments, debates about neutralization, videos are being spread and advocating this. I am not in favor of teaching it in the classroom. Most parents do not accept this. I wouldn’t want the change in Portuguese to be taught and demanded from the students,” the mother said.

Questioned, the Colégio Liceu Franco-Brasileiro board said it is an institution “committed to the quality of education and respect for diversity and inclusion”. The board further said that “in a recent statement, the school declared its respect for the autonomy of teachers and students in the use of gender-neutral language at school. At no time did it state that it would adopt this practice in its evaluations and official communications.”

Also through a note, the institution reiterated that “it will continue to follow the pattern of the Portuguese formal standard, as it has done since its foundation.” “As a demonstration of this, this week’s communications and evaluations used the terms ‘male and female students”,” it added.

Some History

Lycée Français was founded on Rua do Catete, Rio de Janeiro,  on November 13, 1915, by professor Alexandre Brigole, in a joint effort of French and Brazilians, with the purpose of establishing a school that cultivated the rapprochement between the two countries, France and Brazil.

Until 1925, it was practically the only secular French school in the country; in the year 1943, it became the Liceu Franco-Brasileiro Sociedade Anónima.

Since 1915 the Colégio Liceu Franco-Brasileiro has its philosophy based on the values ​​of justice, honesty and solidarity, aiming to stimulate the integral formation of the students who, active and critical, can contribute to a more just and democratic society.

Source: UOL