ASLA believes in recognising the value of individual talents and diversity, including gender diversity.
For the first time in the history of ASLA, the association's governing bodies for the period 2014/2015 include 2 women (from a total of 11) members of the executive committee and 6 women amongst the 36 directors. Additionally, a women currently holds the position of Executive Secretary. Three women head or co-head individual working groups and the overall co-ordinator of the working groups is also a woman. It is strongly hoped that there will soon be female regional co-ordinators.
In its publications and on this website, except where requested by the relevant author, ASLA follows the guidelines regarding the use of gender-related terms in official language ("Linee guida per l'uso del genere nel linguaggio amministrativo") produced by the Accademia della Crusca, which can be downloaded here.
When referring to women lawyers, we therefore use the term "avvocata" (feminine) (instead of the equally correct, but cumbersome, "avvocatessa"), and not "avvocato" (masculine), in accordance with Italian grammar and the conviction that "language is important in constructing our social reality: through language, we absorb many of the rules which are essential for our social survival" (Alma Sabatini, Sexism in the Italian language, Commission for the realisation of gender equality, Rome, Office of the Council of Ministers, 1987, p. 21).
For further reading, see "Women, Grammar and Media. Suggestions for using the Italian language" ("Donne, grammatica e media. Suggerimenti per l'uso dell'italiano") by Cecilia Robustelli, which can be downloaded here.
