Gender Neutral By-Law Change

Gender Neutral By-Law Change

LWV Hingham members agreed to sponsor citizens petition warrant articles in both Hingham and Hull to require the towns to use gender neutral terms for government business at the Spring 2021 Town Meetings.

These amendments could include changes in a manner consistent with the examples below: 

  • “Board of Selectmen" changes to "the Select Board" 
  • "Selectmen" changes to "Select Board member" or "member of the Select Board" 
  • "Chairman" changes to "the Chair" or "the Chairperson" 
  • "Vice-Chairman " changes to "Vice-Chair" or "Vice-Chairperson" 
  • "He/She " changes to "they " 
  • "His/Hers" changes to "their" 
  • "Him/Her " changes to "them" 

Many towns across the Commonwealth have made these changes as well as more than half of Hingham’s 20 benchmark towns. A PowerPoint presentation was shared with the background information.

Update: Hingham Town Meeting 2021 will consider Article Q and Hull's Board of Selectmen are considering a Town Meeting article this year as well.

 

For more information on these efforts, please go to the pages for each town:

Hingham

Hull