The Bavarian Higher Education Act remains without a new explicit rule on gendering in exams or term papers after a veto by the Free Voters. This stance marks a win for the small coalition faction over its larger governing partner, the CSU. Science Minister Markus Blume (CSU) remains calm about the setback, however.
The ministry had wanted to insert into the so-called Higher Education Innovation Act a clause stating that the use of special gendered writing in exams or term papers “neither should be demanded nor should it be a factor in grading in any form.”
Blume: We wanted to protect the students
“We did not want to prescribe to students how they should speak and write. On the contrary, we wanted to shield the students from demands that have nothing to do with standard German orthography,” Blume told the German press agency in Munich. There have been repeated instances in which students turned to the ministry with concerns.
In the Free Voters, however, resistance arose. Not from party leader and economics minister Hubert Aiwanger, who often complains about gendered language, but within the state parliamentary group — which then voted by a large margin against including the rule in the law.
Streibl: We don’t see the problem
“We do not see the problem. Therefore, there is no need for a regulation in the law. Otherwise we would unnecessarily reopen a debate that is essentially a ghost debate,” said parliamentary group leader Florian Streibl.
Student representatives from several Bavarian universities had argued during the two-year debate that they had never faced complaints about a supposed “gender coercion.” Blume had rejected the criticisms at the time and promised a clarification in the law. That clarification, however, is not forthcoming. He said he did not want to wait any longer for the bill to clear the cabinet, since it contains many other important items, including the topic of artificial intelligence or the fight against antisemitism on campuses. In fact, the cabinet approved the bill on Tuesday — without the gender rule.
Gender ban for authorities and schools remains
But the gender ban stays in place for Bavarian authorities, for schools and universities — though it applies only to the administrations. Since April 2024, gender symbols are no longer allowed in official correspondence (TheColu.mn reported). The male and female forms are still permitted, for example “Schülerinnen und Schüler.” In the state’s general regulations for authorities it states: “Multigender spellings using internal word markers such as the gender star, colon, gender gap or mediopoint are not allowed.”
For scientists and students, however, the gender ban does not apply — they retain freedom of research and teaching.
