Misdirected e-mail

Judge criticizes gendering: “Correctness bully”

After receiving Christmas wishes by email, mediator Justitia has her work cut out for her with harsh criticism of gendering by judges.(Bild: Krone KREATIV/Peter Tomschi)

Christmas wishes don't make for contemplation in the judiciary - the minister calls for "gender-inclusive language". The misdirected email from a judge at the Vienna Commercial Court is currently causing a stir at the Ministry of Justice. 

The honorable judge sent out his Christmas wishes, garnished with fierce criticism of gendering, not to a small group, but to "justice-all".

The salutation is quite something (see also the excerpt on the right): "Greetings, dear colleagues and employees!" It continues with "Let's give ourselves a Christmas present now and get our beautiful language back". This is because it is constantly being ruined and destroyed by "correctness collectors and colon writers".

Not gendered: The Golden Medal of Honor from Zadić and Interior Minister Karner to Udo Jesionek, co-founder of the White Ring(Bild: BMI/Tobias BOSINA)

The email in question(Bild: zVg)

"Language is the lawyer's tool"
"Language is, after all, something beautiful and the tool of the lawyer," the judge continues his rejection of gendering. The electronic letter ends with: "With this in mind, I would like to wish all colleagues and employees a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year."

Justice Minister Alma Zadić (Greens) did not take this lying down and replied with "a few thoughts on the topic of inclusive language". In addition to wishing everyone a "reflective and peaceful Christmas season", she defends gendering in the ministerial email: "In the justice system in particular, we set ourselves the goal of protecting the rights of all people in this country every day in our work. This should also be reflected in our language." As a state institution, "the judiciary should lead the way here and show that it is there for all people equally".

It therefore seems questionable whether there will be pre-Christmas peace in the Ministry of Gender Equality ...