ABSTRACT
This chapter explores the experience of the Italian Language Program at Tufts University (Medford, MA, USA) in developing and implementing Guidelines for Inclusive Italian, an approach aimed at fostering inclusivity in the Italian language curriculum and at meeting students’ requests for representation and self-definition. Starting with the criticism expressed by the student body towards the department’s language curriculum, the chapter highlights students’ concerns regarding the absence of nonbinary and more inclusive forms of speech in the Romance languages taught in the Department of Romance Studies at Tufts University. It then discusses the establishment of an ad hoc working group, outlining its objectives and accomplishments in addressing these concerns. The chapter further delves into the research conducted by the Italian program, examining the state of inclusive Italian both in the United States and in Italy. Finally, it provides an overview of the Proposed Guidelines for Inclusive Italian introduced by the program, along with practical examples that promote inclusive language practices to ensure the representation of all participants in the discourse of inclusivity.
