Gender Equality in Dutch

Gender-neutral language is a much discussed and controversial topic in the German-speaking word. Speakers of Dutch, however, often react to these discussions with incomprehension and astonishment. In Dutch, unlike in German, the generic masculine is largely accepted as a neutral form. In this article, I will describe the different ways of dealing with gender (especially in personal names) in the two languages. In addition, an attempt is made to present possible explanations for the differences observed.