The Green party has produced an Orwellian glossary of ‘unacceptable’ language ahead of its conference this weekend. Its new ‘Inclusive Terminology Guidance’ instructs members to stop using words and phrases including ‘elderly’, ‘female politician’ and ‘mothers and fathers’. Also discouraged are ‘able-bodied’, ‘sex-change’, ‘homosexual’, ‘lady doctor’, ‘youngster’ and ‘sexual preference’.
The guidance recommends replacing ‘gendered job titles’ with ‘gender-neutral terms wherever possible’. Members should say ‘chair’ instead of ‘chairman’, ‘police officer’ instead of ‘policeman’ and ‘parents and carers’ rather than mothers and fathers. They are also instructed to ‘avoid language which is harmful to people with mental health conditions’. The terms ‘a nutter’ and ‘a lunatic’ therefore fall foul of the rules because they ‘reinforce negative stereotypes and stigma about mental health’.
The guidance provides a helpful list of approved terminology
Alongside detailing which words should be avoided, the guidance provides a helpful list of approved terminology. When discussing race, members are encouraged to use the term ‘global majority’. This is described as ‘an umbrella term for people of Black, Asian, Brown, Indigenous and Latin American heritage’ which ‘reflects the fact that these groups make up the majority of the world’s population, but are often minoritised in countries such as the UK’.
While ‘Brown’ itself should be ‘used with caution’, the phrase ‘racially minoritised’ is encouraged because it ‘emphasises that minority status is created by social and power structures, rather than being inherent’.
The Inclusive Terminology Guidance warns that using the wrong words, as determined by the party, ‘can create environments that feel unwelcoming or exclusionary’. This, in turn, can contribute to bullying and harassment – a breach of the Green party’s code of conduct. According to the document, its approved vocabulary ‘reflects common usage in the UK’.
A substantial section is also devoted to what members should do if they inadvertently commit a linguistic transgression. In a relief to those who may struggle to navigate the party’s lexicon, the guidance reassures them that ‘it’s okay to make mistakes from time to time’ – provided they are trying. Those who fail to use the sanctioned language are advised to apologise, thank whoever pointed out their error and ‘adjust your language moving forward’.
The document comes as Zack Polanski and his followers prepare to descend on Brighton for the party’s conference this weekend. Andy Burnham’s significant shift to the left has placed considerable pressure on Polanski, who has sought to reshape the Green party as a refuge for Corbynites and Islamists.
With the Prime Minister fashioning himself as a more acceptable – or ‘cool’ – face of Corbynism for the broader progressive left, the Greens’ appeal risks being considerably weakened. Polanski will be forced to embrace increasingly fringe positions if he is to distinguish his party from the traditional home of the left and retain his support base.
A still harder line on Gaza is one tactic likely to be deployed this weekend. But beyond the Islamist vote, Ed Miliband’s own enthusiasm for the Palestinian cause has made the issue less effective as a means of drawing middle-class progressives towards the Greens. The party may have produced a comprehensive guide to the language its members should use, but finding a distinctive political language of its own will prove rather more difficult.
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