Canada makes national anthem gender neutral – (and Germany may follow suit)

Canada’s senate has passed a bill making the country’s national anthem gender neutral. Germany is pondering a similar move

The Canadian senate has voted to change the lyrics of Canada’s national anthem to make it gender neutral. Senators passed a bill in February that will see the words changed from ‘true patriot love in all of thy sons command’ to ‘in all of us command’.

It must now receive assent from the governor general before it becomes law.

The bill has provoked fierce debate in Canada, with senators taking the step despite considerable opposition. “Dissapointed [sic] to hear the Liberals changed our national anthem. Somethings just shouldn’t change,” tweeted Conservative member of parliament Bob Saroya. A similar plan had been rejected in 2010.

The debate around a gender-neutral national anthem is also taking place in Germany

Kristin Rose-Möhring, the equal opportunities officer for Germany’s Family Ministry, has proposed similar changes to make the national anthem gender neutral in Germany. According to Die Zeit, Rose-Möhring recommended changing the word “fatherland” to “homeland,” and changing a line about the German people striving “brotherly, with heart and hand” to them striving “courageously” instead.

Austria made a similar move in 2012.

Featured image: Ali Tawfiq


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