Britain’s top tourist board has declared ‘able-bodied’ “harmful” language and instructed staff to use “non-disabled” instead. The Mailhas more.
VisitBritain, the tourism quango, has suggested using this modified expression when talking about people who do not have disabilities in its “inclusive welcome” guide.
The non-departmental public body urged tour guides to not use “negative” language about disabled people that “perpetuates harmful stereotypes”.
Elsewhere in their new guidance booklet, the board proclaimed the word ‘dwarf’ should be abandoned when describing those with dwarfism, instead suggesting the phrase “someone with restricted growth or short stature”.
Their suggestions have left free speech champions “astounded” and led one high-ranking advocate to label the board a “caricature”.
Lord Young, founder of the Free Speech Union, told the Telegraph: “What’s next? ‘Non-blind’ instead of ‘20:20 vision’? ‘Non-deaf’ instead of ‘perfect hearing’?
“Will we have to describe Marilyn Monroe in future as ‘non-ginger’ instead of ‘blonde’?
“This quango has literally become the caricature that free speech champions like me invented to discredit humourless woke scolds.’”
Within their new “inclusive welcome” guide, VisitBritain told staff members: “Avoid using language that suggests having access requirements is a negative thing and encourages pity, such as ‘suffers from’, ‘is a victim of’, ‘handicapped’, ‘invalid’, ‘crippled by’ or ‘wheelchair bound’. …
If the tour guides are corrected for not using the right language, they have been urged by the board to “resist the temptation to get defensive” and “be open to education”. …
Last April, VisitBritain workers were also told they couldn’t use words such as ‘blindspot’ or ‘man hours’ anymore as the language is not inclusive.
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EppingBlogger
2 months ago
Another nail in the coffin of ourtourist inductry, I fear.
Tonka Rigger
2 months ago
Another addition to the “Bollocks” pile.
Anyway, Battle of Britain is on ITV4, so I’m watching that.
Last edited 2 months ago by Tonka Rigger
Jeff Chambers
2 months ago
According to the madleft “words create reality”. They’ve had to adopt this infantile and magical belief (also known as a delusion) because reality keeps refusing to adapt itself to madleft ideology, and they have no intention of giving up that ideology. Hence the endless attempts to reconfigure society by means of fiddling about with words. It’s like dealing with a small child who thinks that if he closes his eyes and can’t you then you can’t see him. So, for example, if a madleftist says “everyone is equal” then we all become equal – by magic.
Mogwai
2 months ago
OMG
So “epileptic” is bad but “person with epilepsy” is good? So does that mean “diabetic” is frowned upon but “person with diabetes” is acceptable?
It’s basically on a par with “coloured person” being deemed politically incorrect but “person of colour” is strangely fine to say. Mental. Actually, that’ll be frowned upon as well, presumably…
My son is a ‘person with epilepsy’. He is an epileptic. He suffers from epilepsy.
His suffering is mild compared to many others but it limits what he can do and how he lives his life. It also gives him something to offer black humour about – sorry, humour of colour.
Yes my daughter had epilepsy, but fortunately it was the ‘benign’ type that they grow out of once they hit puberty. Hers was ‘Rolandic’, characterised by night time seizures. Glad your son’s is mild as I’ve seen how it can hugely impact a kid’s life. Especially when growing up they just want to fit in and do normal kid stuff like their friends.
But, but, but – should we call these idiots “idiots”, or “persons who suffer from idiocy”? I don’t want to perpetrate any “harmful stereotypes”.
Michael Ford
2 months ago
Snow White and the Seven People of Restricted Growth or Short Stature. Rolls off the tongue. You’ve got to just laugh at these lunatics and ignore them.
Does anyone remember the Tom Sharpe word ‘Porg’ as person of restricted growth seems like it’s come back into fashion
(I think it was in one of the Wilt books that still make me cry with laughter)
VisitBritain – the blind leading the bland. Another feeble-minded quango competing at the front of the queue for a roasting on the bonfire of the inanities and insanities once the Glorious Revolution of 2029 kicks in.
Meanwhile, as an able-bodied OAP with varifocals and fighter-pilot’s eyes, I’m deeply offended.
Quite frankly, this whole “don’t say this, say that” business has nothing to do with discrimination.
It is purely a power game. It is about control.
We tell you what you can and cannot say and if tomorrow we change the rules, you’ll have to change what you say immediately.
I have lost count how many times they changed the rules about black people.
Black, coloured people, people of colour, African-American, BAME… I believe now BAME is out but I don’t know what’s in.
My question to these people is this: who the hell do you think you are to tell me what I can and can’t say?
Who gave you the authority?
Who are you responsible to?
With the rules changing all the time, how do you know that what you are telling me today won’t be taboo tomorrow?
And, by the way, while we are at it: I am not living with asthma. I am living with my wife.
I suppose terms such as jelly belly, lily-livered and stinky-poo are to be frowned upon too? What a crock of s#1t€!
marebobowl
2 months ago
The Uk is broken, ineffective, a joke.
Twm Morgan
2 months ago
How long before the wheel turns and these words themselves become unacceptable?
It wasn’t so long ago there was a charity known as The Spastics Society!
To join in with the discussion please make a donation to The Daily Sceptic.
Profanity and abuse will be removed and may lead to a permanent ban.
Another nail in the coffin of ourtourist inductry, I fear.
Another addition to the “Bollocks” pile.
Anyway, Battle of Britain is on ITV4, so I’m watching that.
According to the madleft “words create reality”. They’ve had to adopt this infantile and magical belief (also known as a delusion) because reality keeps refusing to adapt itself to madleft ideology, and they have no intention of giving up that ideology. Hence the endless attempts to reconfigure society by means of fiddling about with words. It’s like dealing with a small child who thinks that if he closes his eyes and can’t you then you can’t see him. So, for example, if a madleftist says “everyone is equal” then we all become equal – by magic.
OMG
Mental. Actually, that’ll be frowned upon as well, presumably…
So “epileptic” is bad but “person with epilepsy” is good? So does that mean “diabetic” is frowned upon but “person with diabetes” is acceptable?
It’s basically on a par with “coloured person” being deemed politically incorrect but “person of colour” is strangely fine to say.
My son is a ‘person with epilepsy’. He is an epileptic. He suffers from epilepsy.
His suffering is mild compared to many others but it limits what he can do and how he lives his life. It also gives him something to offer black humour about – sorry, humour of colour.
Yes my daughter had epilepsy, but fortunately it was the ‘benign’ type that they grow out of once they hit puberty. Hers was ‘Rolandic’, characterised by night time seizures. Glad your son’s is mild as I’ve seen how it can hugely impact a kid’s life. Especially when growing up they just want to fit in and do normal kid stuff like their friends.
But, but, but – should we call these idiots “idiots”, or “persons who suffer from idiocy”? I don’t want to perpetrate any “harmful stereotypes”.
Snow White and the Seven People of Restricted Growth or Short Stature. Rolls off the tongue. You’ve got to just laugh at these lunatics and ignore them.
Snow White and the seven short-arses?
That would be snow non-black presumably.
I laughed out loud when I first read this. Many thanks, it’s been a long day
…but that is not fair on the long-arses. They may feel hurt!
Does anyone remember the Tom Sharpe word ‘Porg’ as person of restricted growth seems like it’s come back into fashion
(I think it was in one of the Wilt books that still make me cry with laughter)
Yes I do and the porg in questiom was quite happy to be called a dwarf
VisitBritain – the blind leading the bland. Another feeble-minded quango competing at the front of the queue for a roasting on the bonfire of the inanities and insanities once the Glorious Revolution of 2029 kicks in.
Meanwhile, as an able-bodied OAP with varifocals and fighter-pilot’s eyes, I’m deeply offended.
Just ban words. Much easier.
Quite frankly, this whole “don’t say this, say that” business has nothing to do with discrimination.
It is purely a power game. It is about control.
We tell you what you can and cannot say and if tomorrow we change the rules, you’ll have to change what you say immediately.
I have lost count how many times they changed the rules about black people.
Black, coloured people, people of colour, African-American, BAME… I believe now BAME is out but I don’t know what’s in.
My question to these people is this: who the hell do you think you are to tell me what I can and can’t say?
Who gave you the authority?
Who are you responsible to?
With the rules changing all the time, how do you know that what you are telling me today won’t be taboo tomorrow?
And, by the way, while we are at it: I am not living with asthma. I am living with my wife.
But are you having an affair with asthma?
Sometimes the ‘hurty-word brigade’ really do make themselves look stupid.
I suppose terms such as jelly belly, lily-livered and stinky-poo are to be frowned upon too? What a crock of s#1t€!
The Uk is broken, ineffective, a joke.
How long before the wheel turns and these words themselves become unacceptable?
It wasn’t so long ago there was a charity known as The Spastics Society!