Mayor of London's staff banned from calling people 'male' and 'female'
The Mayor of London's office is facing a wave of backlash after a City Hall document was leaked, directing staff not to identify people as 'men', 'women', 'male', or 'female'.
The inclusivity guide was leaked to The Sun, with the gender section of the document telling staffers to simply say ‘people’ or ‘Londoners’.
The document, released by Sadiq Khan's office, states the terms male and female are 'dated and medicalised' terms.
It also advised that 'female humans are called girls and/or women', while 'male humans are called boys and/or men'.
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It also advised City Hall staff to nix the phrase ‘ladies and gentlemen’, instead urging them to choose a term that 'doesn’t exclude non-binary people'.
In their push for inclusivity, workers have also been advised that 'not all women have periods'.
When dealing with the issue of the lack of access to sanitary and menstrual hygiene products, City Hall staff are now to use the term 'people affected by period poverty', as some trans men and non-binary people may have periods too.
The document also ruled migrants cannot be described as 'illegal', but must be referred to as 'undocumented' people or those with 'insecure immigration status'.
The document continues: "Remember, we are all Londoners. Don’t make a distinction between ‘migrants’ and ‘Londoners'."
Tory politician Miriam Cates lashed out at the move by City Hall, dubbing the language guidance 'absurd'.
"The whole point of language is that it is commonly understood by those who use it," the Penistone and Stocksbridge MP told The Sun.
"When language is corrupted by elites without popular consensus, our shared culture is weakened and common sense is sacrificed.
"The idea that ‘male’ and ‘female’ are medical conditions is frankly absurd. This taxpayer-funded guidance is in conflict with fact, reality and the law."
Conservative politician Tom Hunt added: "This is the sort of nonsense that would be imposed on the whole country if Labour were ever to get into power."
People took to social media to vent their frustration over the leaked document.
One social media user said: "What is so wrong with using the existing words that people understand they have been used for thousands of years? If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it."
A second asked: "So freedom of speech is banned in Khan's world?"
A third chimed in with: "Not allowed to say men or women but to use 'Londoners', but not everyone is from London! He's a prat."
Despite City Hall's inclusivity guide copping criticism, a spokesperson for the Greater London Authority defended the document, explaining it aims to promote linguistic 'precision'.
"This guide is about encouraging precision, offering recommendations and highlighting things for staff to consider, not banning words," the spokesperson said.
"London’s diversity is its greatest strength and it is right that the language we use to talk to and about London's communities is as accurate, inclusive and representative as possible."
Rachel Lang