A Natural Language Processing Approach to Promote Gender Equality: Analysing the Progress of Gender-Inclusive Language on the Victorian Government Website

Abstract

This research paper explores the role of language in shaping cultural and social attitudes towards gender and the importance of using gender-inclusive language to promote gender equality and eliminate gender bias. Specifically, we analysed the Victorian government website in Australia https://www.vic.gov.au/ over some years from 1970-2023 to Measure and compare the evolution of its language across this period in terms of gender neutrality. To conduct this research, we created three datasets by scraping data from three different websites. The first two datasets comprise a list of masculine and feminine words used in the English language, while the third dataset comprises a list of gender-neutral words approved by the Victorian government. We compared this list of words with the data provided by the Victorian government website, and based on this analysis, we assessed how gender-neutral the website was. The findings show that using gender-inclusive language is a powerful way to promote gender equality and eliminate gender bias. Moreover, our analysis reveals that the Victorian government website has become more gender-neutral over the years, which signals their commitment to promoting gender equality and inclusivity. Overall, our research underscores the importance of using gender-inclusive language in all communication, including website content, to create a more inclusive and equitable society.