I'm registerd in fetlife as MrAl. I'm a spanish user, although nowdays my residence is set outside Spain.
I usually configure my profile with english language. This is because spanish version is highly incorrect.
As spanish grammar states, IN A MANDATORY WAY, gender is observed in
the terminantion of noums and adjetives. In a general sense, when a word
refers to a male subjet ends in "o", and when it refers to a female
subjet, ends in "a".
The terminanation for a neutral gender DOES NOT EXIST in spanish
grammar. You can refer to Real Academia de la Lengua (Spanish Language
Academy) which is the only recogniced authority in defining and manteing
spanish language, to check that neutral gender DOES NOT EXIST in
spanish language.
Therfore, the use of the sufix "e" to express a neutral gender, is
not allowed. I can imagine that this incorrect use of the spanish
language is promoted by associations that use that way of expression as a
way to gain visibility. But, although they are usually well and
efectively organized, they do not represent the core of the fetlife
users (nor in any other space away form their own forums). As a simple
way to check that point, you only have to count the number of users in
Spanish Language (and do not forget South America in your survey) that
use a neutral gender vs natural gender users.
So, in order to comply with spanish grammar, and also be aligned
with most of the users sensibility, that malfunction must be fixed. If
you want to give that minority a space that includes inclusively
different sensibilities, I suggest you to develop a change in your
platform that would permit to use that not normative inclusive lenguage
in a profile option. I understand that this option may result in
development expenses, but if the policy of fetlife promotes inclusion,
it should be easy to achive such change. Because the actual state, away
from the incorrect grammar use, results in an unacceptable policy that
enforce the sensibility of a few against the established norms that most
of the users, which results in an bad use of the language that do not
represent the feelings and beliefs of the majority.
As a result of all exposed above, I kindly request you to correct the
bad use of the Spanish in your platform, in order to fix the bad
treatment it is given in the web.
MrAl
PD It has been posted in fetlife tech group. It is still pending of validation
