Authored by Steve Watson via Modernity.news,

A council in South London has instructed staff to stop using the term ‘Christian name’ and instead use ‘forename’, reasoning that it could offend some people.

Sutton council issued a 13 page ‘inclusive language guide’, which suggests staff ask people for “first name, forename or given name” rather than someone’s “Christian name”.

The guide also instructs staff that they should only refer to religion if it is “relevant to the information being communicated”.

The guide states that use of “incorrect” or “outdated” language can “perpetuate, contribute to, or cause bias, prejudice and discrimination” in addition to “hurt and offence when discussing other personal attributes”.

It asks that gendered language be avoided, for example “workforce” should be used rather than “manpower” and “chair” should be used instead of “chairman”.

It also encourages workers to “actively avoid ageist terms such as ‘elderly’, ‘OAPs’, ‘pensioners’ or ‘youngsters’” and to steer clear of age-specific terms such as “mature workforce” or “young and vibrant team”.

Sutton council denied that it has banned the word ‘Christian’, issuing a statement saying “Our inclusive language guide has been created in collaboration with our staff to help them support our balanced and diverse community.”

Toby Young, the Free Speech Union founder, commented “This is woke hyper-sensitivity taken to ridiculous lengths.”

“I’ve never met a Jew, a ­Muslim or an atheist offended by the words ‘Christian name’,” Young added.

We’ve seen this kind of Orwellian erasure of language everywhere, from Universities and schools, to hospitals, workplaces, government bureaucracies, and even charities and churches.

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