Gender-splitting is now routine on Spain's business radio

Gender-splitting is now alive and well on business radio

When did institutional Spanish decide that the generic masculine was a problem and gender-splitting the solution? The latest frontier has been crossed by Radio Intereconomía, a station hardly known for its pogre. During the show's sign-off, the presenter said: "to all the men and women (todos y todas las personas) listening to us, have a good day". A formula once reserved for militant circles is now commonplace in media that claim to be right-wing.

Gender-splitting: grammatical error or evolution?

In the public debate, the formula meets two opposing views. For some, it is a grammatical error that undermines the economy of language and the rule of the generic masculine. For others, it is a legitimate social construct that reflects the fight against sens. The RAE (Spain's Royal Academy of Language) has systematically rejected it, but social and media pressure has managed to slip "todos y todas" even into radio sign-offs.

Parody as resistance

Resistance has found its best weapon in humour. Social media and the press have popularised ironic variations such as "miembros y miembras del Congreso" (male and female members of Congress), "policía y policíos" or "fuerzos y cuerpas", all of them repeated in the public debate. These caricatures show just how artificial forced gender-splitting feels to most speakers.

Meanwhile, the language keeps its course. And the next time someone says "todos y todas", someone will reply: "and what about everyone else?". Language, they say, is built collectively; but not everyone wants to build the same building.