empleadxs

Empleadxs is a gender-inclusive written form used in Spanish to refer to people who work as employees, without signaling gender. It is part of a broader effort to render gender in language more inclusive, particularly among nonbinary and gender-diverse communities.

Origin and usage: The form emerged from feminist and LGBTQ+ language practices in the 2010s and 2020s. It appears mainly in informal writing, social media, and some progressive institutions, and is sometimes used in more formal texts that adopt inclusive language policies.

Linguistic considerations: The x form is controversial. Some style guides and institutions (notably the Real Academia Española) do not recognize it as standard Spanish and argue it can hamper readability and consistency. Supporters argue it signals inclusivity and avoids erasing nonbinary identities. Alternatives include using masculine-feminine pairs (empleados y empleadas) or other neutral constructions; some writers use the at-sign (emplead@s) or the asterisk (emplead*s).

Usage notes: The acceptability varies by country, institution, and audience. In some contexts, empleadxs is common in advocacy materials and youth media; in others, it may be avoided in formal or regulatory texts.

The use and acceptance of empleadxs continue to vary across communities and contexts.