A European Union-funded organisation has banned common terms such as « Englishman » and « maiden name » in a diversity drive aimed at promoting gender-neutral language. The phrases deemed potentially « biased, discriminatory or demeaning » were outlined in a 38-page report funded by the bloc and compiled by the United Nations (UN) Women agency, a partner of the EU. It offered alternatives for the supposedly offensive terms, including replacing « Englishman » with « the English » and substituting « mother tongue » with « native tongue ».
Similarly, European countries were urged to replace the term « motherly » with « loving or nurturing » and even stop using « masterpiece » as a descriptive word, instead hailing impressive feats as « works of genius ». The document, titled « Guidelines for the use of language as a driver of equality and inclusivity », argued that the highlighted language helped to perpetuate casual sexism that affects women across professional and personal spheres.
« Using gender-fair and inclusive language helps reduce gender stereotyping, promotes social change and contributes to achieving gender equality, » it read.
The report also warned that the internet had « provided a new dimension for the expression and transmission of sexism » as it urged against the use of « female » and « male » when referring to people in a bid to avoid reducing them to their biological characteristics.
It said the terms « woman » and « man » were more appropriate and also called for gender-neutral titles to become the norm in European workplaces, with « police officer » replacing « policeman » and « chair » replacing « chairman ».
Shadow Home Secretary Chris Philp hit back at the recommendations, describing them as « politically correct nonsense ».
He told GB News: « With Russia menacing Europe’s borders, a cost-of-living crisis, floods of illegal immigrants entering Europe and the potential collapse of the regime in Iran, the last thing anyone needs to worry about is banning these long-standing phrases.
« We should keep our language and keep our culture and not have faceless bureaucrats interfering. This is another reason why going back into the orbit of the EU is a bad idea. »
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