ANNAPOLIS, MD — The nearly 400-year-old phrase "Fatti maschii, parole femine" included in Maryland's state seal is sexist and needs to be updated or replaced, says an Anne Arundel legislator.

State Sen. Bryan W. Simonaire (R-Anne Arundel) has filed a bill that would make a more ­gender-neutral translation, "Strong deeds, gentle words," the official state motto.

The Italian phrase, handed down from Maryland's founding Calvert family, is loosely translated as "manly deeds, womanly words," according to the Maryland State Archives . But the phrase should be more accurately translated as "strong deeds, gentle words" the site says.

"I have five daughters, and I'm very concerned that Maryland is holding onto outdated references. . . . I don't believe Maryland is a sexist state," the Republican told The Washington Post.

Simonaire represents District 31 at the statehouse, which includes all of Pasadena and parts of Brooklyn Park, Glen Burnie, Severna Park and Millersville.

Just last week, a state panel said it is time to replace Maryland's Civil War-era state song – which denounces "Northern scum" – but Gov. Larry Hogan called the idea political correctness gone too far.

"Maryland, My Maryland," was adopted as the state song in the 1930s, and doesn't reflect today's residents, says one panelist.

The proposal reflects a change similar to measures this year to remove the Confederate battle flag from state license plates and to remove Confederate monuments in some places, such as the old courthouse grounds in Rockville.

"It's political correctness run amok," Gov. Hogan told The Washington Post. "Where do we stop? Do we get rid of the George Washington statues out here and take down all the pictures from all the people from the Colonial era that were slave owners? Do we change the name of Washington County, Carroll County and Calvert County?

"You can't change history, and we're not going to be able to rewrite history," Hogan told the Post. "And I don't think we ought to be changing any of that."

The state panel posed several alternatives to the song that urged Maryland to fight for the South, including replacing the song, re-writing its lyrics or doing away with a state song.

Another possibility would be to adopt "The Star-Spangled Banner" as the state song; the anthem was penned by Francis Scott Key of Maryland and describes the British attack on Fort McHenry in Baltimore during the War of 1812.