To appoint is to officially choose someone for a job or role, or to set a time or place for something to happen.
From Old French "apointier" meaning "to arrange" or "to settle," from "a point" (to a point or purpose). It originally meant putting things in proper order or arrangement.
When leaders appoint people, they’re not just choosing a person; they’re shaping the future decisions that person will make. A simple appointment can quietly redirect years of history.
Formal appointments to leadership roles have historically favored men, with women and other marginalized groups often excluded by law or custom. Language of "appointment" has sometimes obscured patronage networks and biases that limited who could be chosen.
Use "appoint" while being transparent about criteria and processes, and avoid implying that historically excluded groups are newcomers rather than previously barred participants. Highlight when appointments broaden representation.
["assign","designate","name to a role"]
When discussing appointments, recognize milestones where women and gender-diverse people first gained access to roles from which they had been excluded.
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