The woke Sutton Council in south London has ordered its employees to make a series of ridiculous changes. Councils are similar to City Councils in the US. The Council is run by the Liberal Democrats, a third party which is to the left of the woke Labour Party. They issued a guidance that demanded all references to religion be avoided. They also stripped all references to age or gender in language.
The London Area Council told its employees to stop asking for people’s “Christian” names. Instead, they want to use “first name, forename, or given name.” The new 13-page document focused on “inclusive” language. The document also advises city workers to avoid language that could be described as ageist. Such terms as referring to those younger than 30 as “youngsters” or call individuals over 65 “pensioners.”
Some of their recommendations were even more baffling. The direction was part of a large move to exclude labels like mature workforce” or “vibrant team,” which the council thinks can unintentionally offend or exclude. The recommendation was complied with by “diversity experts.” An excerpt from the report reads: “Using incorrect or outdated language can perpetuate, contribute to, or cause bias, prejudice and discrimination.”
The guide also lectures employees on the importance of eliminating gender-specific words like “manpower,” and recommending “workforce” instead. Workers who are leading meetings were told to refer to the leader as the “chair” rather than “chairman.” The council recommends these actions as a way to align daily interactions with an evolving standard of “inclusivity.”
Founder of the Free Speech Union, Toby Young, slammed the document. “This is woke hyper-sensitivity taken to ridiculous lengths,” Young told The Sun. “I’ve never met a Jew, a Muslim, or an atheist offended by the words ‘Christian name,” he said. He thinks these directives are well past the point of being reasonable accommodations and exceed normal considerations of courtesy.
Sutton Council officials scrambled to clarify that the guidance is not a mandatory policy. They said “We have not banned the word Christian. Our inclusive language guide has been created in collaboration with our staff to help them support our balanced and diverse community.” A council “spokesperson” desperately tried to deflect the online backlash. While not mandatory, it stretches belief to think that these rules are toothless.
They added that “Most forms that British residents are asked to complete refer to first name and surname, so our guide reflects common usage today.” Similar oppressive directives have been introduced by other local governments in the British capital. The Hackney Council passed out a 17-page guide that gave employees a bevy of convoluted rules.
They said employees should abandon “Sir/Madam” in favor of more general greetings such as “Dear colleagues.” Even more ridiculously, they say that their workers should say “people who become pregnant” instead of “expected mothers.” The Westminster Council, which is so over the top they’ve been dubbed “Wokeminster” also issued similar guidance. They also decorated a major shopping area with “trans-inclusive” pride flags. Each of these local governments has been mocked for their absurd priorities.