If you’ve ever traveled on the New York subway system, you’ve heard the familiar “Ladies and Gentlemen” announcement that booms through the train and on the platform. The New York Metro Transit Authority (MTA) is taking a step toward gender inclusivity by changing the language on their announcements.
The booming “Ladies and Gentlemen,” terminology will be replaced with neutral terms such as, “passengers,” “riders” and “everyone.”
Other changes include calendar updates, such as the reminder passengers received over the weekend to thank a Veteran, and conductors drawing attention to local landmarks that correspond to stops on the line.
“It’s all part of a series of changes outlined in a 9-page memo that seeks to fundamentally change the way the agency communicates with its customers,” according to CBS New York. “The MTA wants conductors to be more empathetic – more human – with riders.”
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The change was put into place immediately for live announcements. The MTA is working on recreating previously recorded messages to now include the wording changes, however they are working on moving recordings to real-time updates.
Featured image via The Odyssey Online
