November 1st 2024.
It seems that Hackney Council is following in the footsteps of other councils by implementing some new measures. In an effort to promote inclusivity and avoid gender stereotypes, the London council has recently announced that they are banning all staff from using titles such as 'Sir' or 'Madam' in their letters. This decision is outlined in a 17-page document created by the council, who believe that using gender-specific terms can be dehumanizing.
As part of their gender-neutral initiative, employees are now required to begin their letters with phrases like 'Dear colleagues', 'Dear partners', or 'Dear council taxpayer'. The council explains that this guide was created to ensure that their language is welcoming and inclusive, aligning with their core value of inclusivity. In addition to this change, staff are also being instructed to use the term 'workforce' instead of 'manpower', and to refer to the leader of a meeting as a 'chair' rather than a 'chairman'.
The council is also discouraging their employees from using phrases like 'man up' or 'guys', which they believe promote harmful gender stereotypes. They are also urging their staff to avoid stereotyping women as emotional, difficult, or bossy. The council's document states, "Be aware that not everyone identifies as either male or female. Use gender-neutral language like 'everyone', 'participants', or 'audience' instead of 'ladies' or 'gentlemen' when addressing groups." They also suggest using terms like 'partner' instead of 'husband' or 'wife', and using gender-neutral pronouns like 'they' and 'them' in general communications.
This move by Hackney Council is not the first of its kind. Other councils, such as Surrey Council and Sunderland Council, have also implemented similar measures in the past. Surrey Council has banned their staff from using phrases like 'piece of cake', while Sunderland Council initially banned the use of the term 'working-class' before eventually reversing their decision. It seems that councils across London are making an effort to promote inclusivity and avoid harmful language and stereotypes.
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