- The University of Manchester is being accused of bowing to the 'woke agenda'
- Historic university announced new gender-neutral advice earlier this week
- Critics, including Laurence Fox, have pushed back against the new guidelines
- Free speech experts have been quick to question the implications of the moveThe UK's second largest university has been accused of 'utter madness' and pandering to the woke brigade after it told staff to stop using terms like 'mother' and 'father' in a bid to be more inclusive.
Manchester University released the guidance on their website which covered advice on how to use language involving sex and gender identity.
Under the new advice, which was slammed by critics today, phrases like 'mother' and 'father' will be replaced by 'guardian' or 'parent' and man and woman should be dropped for terms like 'individuals'.Other terms on their list include advice on replacing 'he' and 'she' with 'them' and 'their'. Other words for the axe include 'manpower', 'mankind' or 'chairman', and should be replaced with 'workforce', 'humankind' and 'chair' respectively.Read more:The famous redbrick institution, which was first established almost 200 years ago and is one of 24 exclusive Russell Group universities, announced its updated guidelines to staff on Wednesday, March 10.
But critics, including Laurence Fox, have been quick to push back against the newly published advice, with some even saying their children, once prospective pupils, are now pulling out.
The University of Manchester updated its inclusive language advice, and sent it out to all staff on Wednesday, March 10
The new guidance (pictured) was published on their website this week
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Toby Young, general secretary of the Free Speech Union, told the BBC that the university has 'wasted time and money' teaching staff how to 'speak woke-ish'.
He added: 'If I was a student at Manchester University I'm not sure I would regard this as a good use of my £9,250 a year.
'Instead of focusing on educational standards, or supporting those students who've been short-changed during the pandemic, Manchester has wasted time and moneyon producing a guide to how to speak woke-ish.
'Young people hate it when you call them snowflakes, but Manchester has done its students no favours.'
Lawrence Fox tweeted the guidance and simply wrote: 'Stunning bravery'.
Social media users have labelled the decision as an attempt to appease the 'woke agenda'
One user wrote: 'I'm a mother, a daughter and a sister. My own daughter saw this and has delisted Manchester Uni from her UCAS selection: she doesn't want to be deleted by woke men.'r
Another asked: 'Will this madness ever end?'
Some parents have said that their children and prospective pupils at the University of Manchester are now pulling out.
Social media users have labelled the decision as an attempt to appease the 'woke agenda'.
The new rules state that language around sex and gender identity is 'evolving constantly' and staff should 'understand the difference' between them.
The University concludes: 'Where it is not clear what, if any, gendered pronouns or nouns are appropriate for an individual, ask and respect their wishes.'
A University of Manchester spokeswoman explained that 'mum' and 'dad' haven't been banned from campus, rather staff have been encouraged to use 'more inclusive' language.
'The University has not scrapped or banned any words, we have simply produced a guidance document for our staff that encourages the use of more inclusive language to avoid bias or assumptions.
'In that, we recommend the use of the term 'parent or guardian'. This is well established terminology and does not in any way mean that we are banning the words mother or father.'
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