Gender equality has long been at the heart of Swedish political, social and educational concerns. In a way, it is at the heart of the Swedish social contract. However, the situation is different in the field of language, because the Swedish language includes asymmetries that lead to discrimination. This article proposes to study different initiatives aimed at modifying linguistic practices in order to simplify the use of the Swedish language and to promote equality among citizens. It analyzes more particularly the various claims in favor of the pronoun hen, a pronoun that designates the third person singular without indicating the sex of the designated person, until its widespread use in 2012.