Scituate voters to consider gender-neutral pronouns

By Meg McIntyre

The Scituate Board of Selectmen has put forward a warrant article that would amend the town’s general bylaws to use only gender-neutral pronouns, according to the town’s website.

The change, up for a vote at a Nov. 16 Special Town Meeting, would replace Board of Selectmen with Select Board, selectman with Select Board member, and chairman with chair or chairperson. All specific gender pronouns — he, she, his and hers — would be replaced with they, them, and theirs throughout the bylaws, the article states.

Many other Massachusetts communities and organizations have made the switch from Board of Selectmen to Select Board in recent years in the name of gender inclusivity, such as Plymouth, Lexington, Hopkinton, and the Massachusetts Select Board Association.