Senator Says Maryland's Italian State Motto Is Sexist

Senator Bryan Simonaire  (R-Anne Arundel) has filed a bill that would update the nearly 400-year-old phrase “Fatti maschii, parole femine” which literally translates into “manly deeds, womanly words” to something more gender-neutral. Senator Simonaire proposes to change the official state motto to English“Strong deeds, gentle words,” which is also Maryland's current officially cited translation of the motto.

Maryland is the only US state with a motto in Italian. In 1993 a move to change the English translation of Maryland's Italian motto from "Manly Deeds, Womanly Words" to "Strong Deeds, Gentle Words" passed a House committee but never made it to the House floor. In 2001, the official translation was changed to the aforementioned gentler, politically correct version.

The Washington Post chimes in:

How a ‘sexist’ quote from 16th-century pope became Maryland’s state motto

The Maryland motto is sexist in any language (Opinion)

See also No longer manly, state seal uses gentle words (The Baltimore Sun, January 12, 2001).