While research on opposition to gender and sexual rights has expanded rapidly, the exact nature of the anti-gender backlash remains a subject of contention. Scholarship addressing topics from same-sex marriages to reproductive rights demonstrates their extreme context-dependence, often involving diverse actors with distinct historical roots. One context-specific illustration pertains to inclusive language (“Gendern”) in German-speaking countries, a gender-conscious approach to language use that aims to express equal treatment for all individuals. This issue becomes more pressing as both far-right and centre-right political actors aim to eliminate gender-neutral language forms in official documents and publications, as well as limit its use at schools and universities. This study aims to investigate the use of gender-sensitive language in Austrian politics, examining the actors who employ such linguistic strategies and the contexts in which they are applied. Employing text-as-data approaches and statistical analyses, this study examines how, under what circumstances, and by whom inclusive language is used at the Austrian Nationalrat from 2009 to 2019.
