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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