- Tory MP Nick Fletcher argued there are more pressing issues for the EU
The EU has called for the abolition of ‘gender-related language’ such as ‘no man’s land’ and ‘Joe Public’.
A 61-page document advises policymakers, lawmakers and the media to review the order of commonly used phrases such as “King and Queen” or “brother and sister,” which put the man first.
It suggests to ‘sometimes switch the order of these sentences’.
Bureaucrats say that ‘Joe Public’ should be replaced by ‘average citizen’ and ‘no man’s land’ should be replaced by ‘unclaimed territory’.
Tory MP Nick Fletcher has called the guidelines ‘nonsense’ and argued the EU had ‘much more serious issues’ it should be concerned about.
Bureaucrats say ‘Joe Public’ should be replaced with ‘average citizen’ and ‘no man’s land’ should be replaced with ‘unclaimed territory’ (Stock Image)
Tory MP Nick Fletcher has called the guidelines ‘nonsense’ and argued the EU had ‘much more serious problems’ it should be concerned about (File Photo)
The document ‘Toolkit on Gender-sensitive Communication’, compiled by the European Institute for Gender Equality, highlights the language that needs to be changed and points to alternatives.
It also notes that terms such as ‘shrill’ and ‘pushy’ have ‘strong connotations strongly associated with women only’ and should be replaced with ‘high’ and ‘assertive’ respectively.
It says that ‘virile’, which is considered ‘strongly associated with only men’, should be replaced with ‘strong or energetic’.
The famous line from Star Trek, “To boldly go where no man has gone before,” is mentioned in the collection as an example for which “women may be subject to invisibility or omission.”
Don Valley MP Nick Fletcher told the story The Telegraph: ‘I think it’s nonsense, especially when there are much more serious issues going on at the moment that we have to worry about.
‘The EU needs to take a good look at itself and think about what other problems are currently going on in the world.’
He added: ‘There are wars being fought, there is an energy crisis and many countries are facing the same kinds of problems as we are in Britain.
“These kinds of things are a waste of time.”
Former Tory MP Ann Widdecombe told The Sun: ‘It’s ridiculous.’
Nigel Mills, Conservative MP for Amber Valley, told the newspaper: ‘This is utter madness. It is an attack on the English language.’
Although Britain officially left the EU in January 2020, English is still the official language.