Caitlin discovered their identity during their time in Japan. Many aspects of Japanese society can be rigid in terms of gender, and this led to her questioning whether she really did identify as a woman and coming to the conclusion that she did not — it was a label that never quite fit them, but they hadn’t taken the time to reflect on it until they were in an environment that forced the question.

Alex discovered their identity during COVID lockdowns. They found solace on the Internet, where most interactions are held in English. Alex realized that not being gendered at every noun and adjective — a stark contrast from their native French — gave them more space to figure out who they were.

In fact, language influences how we perceive and experience gender as a society. Let’s talk about gender in language, the challenges localizers face when it comes to LGBTQ+ topics in language, and fostering community for LGBTQ+ localizers.

Gender Considerations in Language

Many scholars over the years have posited differing ways to categorize linguistic gender. We’ll be using the common three-category denotation: grammatical gender, natural gender, and genderless.

Grammatically gendered languages are languages in which noun classification conjugates adjectives, verbs, adverbs, or a mix of them using a gendered distinction (male, female, and sometimes neuter). These include languages such as French, Hindi, and Somali. For example, in French, there are four possible ways to write “my friend called me,” depending on the friend and the narrator’s genders. A 2018 World Bank study estimated that about 38 percent of the world speaks a gendered language.

Natural gender languages are those that do not conjugate other parts of speech based on a noun’s gender but that do have gendered language, such as pronouns for an individual. This can include gender-neutral pronouns. Examples in this category include English, Danish, and Swedish. For example, in English, a variety of pronouns exist to denote gender, including he (traditionally masculine), she (traditionally feminine), they (gender neutral or the gender of the person is unknown), and many other neo-pronouns (fae, ze, ey, etc.).

Finally, genderless languages do not have any grammatical gender or pronominal gender. For example, in Tatar, there is one singular genderless pronoun, «ул». If you wanted to say “he/she/they are beautiful,” you can simply say «Ул матур». This category additionally includes languages such as Turkish, Finnish, and Bengali.

Consistent utilization of gendered language can have societal consequences. A 2011 study published in the academic journal Sex Roles demonstrated that countries using grammatically gendered language have less gender equality. An additional study in 2020 by researchers representing the World Bank and Center for World Development showed lower rates of women’s work force participation and education compared with countries that primarily use genderless language. In other words, gender in language is not an LGBTQ+ issue at its core: It benefits women and, therefore, society in general.

Gender non-conforming or non-binary folks who live in societies with primarily grammatically gendered languages can face specific linguistic challenges. In Italian, for instance, non-binary can be translated either as non-binario or non-binaria — meaning that a non-binary person wanting to refer to themself would have to choose whether they’re masculinely or femininely non-binary, unless they’re using nontraditional forms of spelling, such as the up-and-coming schwa ending non-binariə.

In fact, more and more heavily-gendered languages are evolving with new, more inclusive practices. These practices sometimes compete against each other: For example, in Spanish, there are entire debates on using Latino/a, Latine, Latin@, Latinx, and other alternatives. In French and German, we see new spellings that may not translate to pronunciation: The users become les utilisateur·ices, die Benutzer*innen. These forms are much more inclusive but still impose the gender binary through their masculine + feminine format. They are also often not supported by screen readers, sometimes making it a matter of needing to choose whom to prioritize: people who rely on screen readers or gender minorities and women who need inclusive forms.

Multilingualism makes all of these challenges exponentially harder. One person might not use the same pronouns in one language and in another: for instance, Alex uses they in English but defaults to the masculine in French, creating confusion when they have to check a box that imposes one set of pronouns that will be used everywhere. And while we won’t turn this into an essay on artificial intelligence, large language models sometimes struggle with newer forms of language: Alex often gets called the plural (and masculine) they in French, ils, due to using the singular (and neutral) they in English.

Challenges in Using Gender-Neutral Language in Localization

Localizers face unique challenges, especially when it comes to working across global teams where LGBTQ+ acceptance varies radically by market.

Sometimes, we work on content that touches on gender and sexuality, and we have personal stakes in getting it right. Sometimes, this same thing happens in markets where inclusive language, or the human rights of LGBTQ+ people, are politically contested.

In a single language, it’s still easy to face strong localization issues. English is used in Canada, where LGBTQ+ people benefit from strong legal protections against discrimination, and in Uganda, where the death penalty applies to homosexual and transgender people. For localizers, this is a challenge; offering true representation and inclusion can become a business problem in some countries and outright put people in danger if a certain vocabulary is used to refer to them without their knowledge and control. For example, applying a gender-neutral pronoun or inclusive form to a user without their consent would out them, meaning that their identity has been disclosed without their consent. This is something to keep in mind when implementing gender-neutral language to refer to specific people, rather than as a general practice like replacing “he or she” with “they” in user manuals.

Even in markets where being LGBTQ+ is generally well-accepted, language changes can face strong resistance. In France, for instance, Alex once had to stagger the launch of gender-inclusive language for several years due to “anti-woke” rhetoric that tended to flare up at every election. In practice, that meant they could easily launch for business audiences, which benefit directly from showing their inclusiveness. The general public came as a second step, but public policy documents aimed at political figures were never approved to use gender-inclusive spelling forms. Meanwhile, less visible substitutions faced no resistance at all, such as referring to users (a gendered word in French) as people (a gender-neutral word in French), as this was not a point of contention in French politics.

Whether you’re localizing content that directly addresses LGBTQ+ people or simply writing a user manual that doesn’t need to assume a gender, the choices you make as a localizer matter. We hope this article gives you a new perspective on the topic.

Creating a Community for LGBTQ+ Localizers

Beyond the importance of recognizing linguistic challenges and new approaches to language that the LGBTQ+ community are actively creating, we believe that finding a community, especially at work, can make a world of difference in our lives and careers.

Both Caitlin and Alex have joined Pride Employee Resource Groups at their companies and found much-needed community and support. Caitlin is an active member of Wizards Pride, regularly attending events and marching in Seattle’s Pride parade, and co-chairs their queer book club. In these groups, they found mentors and met people who showed them that localization was a field where they’d be welcome and where they could grow and blossom.

This type of representation matters, both within and without the localization industry. According to a 2021 study performed by Deloitte, companies that have LGBTQ+ inclusionary policies see a 10% increase in employee satisfaction and engagement, creating real impact for businesses. In fact, WorkL data published in April 2025 showed that 40% of LGBTQ+ and 63% of trans respondents reported that they deliberately choose employers based on inclusion criteria.

Outside of work, several opportunities exist to celebrate sexual orientations and gender identities in all their diversity. The month of June is a prime example. June, also known as Pride Month, is a very special month for LGBTQ+ people in many countries.

And this Pride Month, we are launching the LGBTQ+ pilot for the UIGs (Underrepresented Interest Groups) — a new Women in Localization initiative. The LGBTQ+ UIG is open to people of all underrepresented genders and sexual orientations, and our hope in piloting this group is to create a community and safe space where we can learn together, exchange insights, advocate for ourselves, and mentor one another.

It’s not just a group of localizers, nor is it just a group of LGBTQ+ people: The UIG will be a community of professionals who share career and personal experiences, with regular conversations held online, on written platforms, or through virtual events with the ultimate goal of creating recommendations for more inclusivity in the industry and beyond.

Caitlin and Alex met while working on this project; in fact, we found a friend and someone to talk shop with in each other, and we hope that all members of the UIG will find this too!

The LGBTQ+ UIG will be the first of several groups for members of underrepresented communities in the localization world, including BIPOC folks and people living with disabilities. If you are interested in joining, please reach out to us. And if you’d like to learn more about this new initiative, follow Women in Localization on Linked­In or reach out directly by email at UIGS@womeninlocalization.com) for more information on the launch of the pilot LGBTQ+ UIG and future groups.