Why using ‘ he’ could lose students essay marks
FAILING to use ‘gender-sensitive’ language in essays will result in a loss of marks, students have been told.
Those breaking the rules will be given ‘feedback’ on what they have done wrong, and be docked marks ‘on a case-by-case basis’.
The demand that students must write in a gender-neutral manner has been made by authorities at Hull University.
It is the first in Britain to make politically correct language an academic requirement and to punish students who fail to comply.
Critics said universities should be educating students rather than pursuing ‘mindless fads’.
Gender-sensitive language avoids using masculine pronouns such as ‘he’ or ‘ him’ when referring to an individual whose gender is unknown, or to a hypothetical ‘someone’.
Writers are instead encouraged to use ‘he or she’, ‘she/he’ or ‘they’.
Words containing ‘man’ – such as ‘mankind’, ‘ manpower’ and ‘ workman’ – are also discouraged.
Under these guidelines women are routinely referred to as actors rather than actresses. The words firefighters and signallers are used instead of firemen and signalmen, ancestors in place of forefathers, and shooter rather than gunman.
The aim is to avoid discriminating against women or ‘ non- binary’ transgender individuals.
Instructions on gender- sensitive language have been given to social science students at Hull, and religion students have been told they will get lower grades if they do not adopt it. The university released a statement attributed to a ‘senior lecturer in religion’, saying: ‘Language is powerful and we place a high emphasis on gender-neutral language on our courses.
‘Should any student use language which is not deemed genderneutral, they will be offered feedback as to why. Deduction of marks is taken on a case-by-case basis.’
Students on a religious activism course have been told by one teacher: ‘Language is important and highly symbolic. In your essay, I thus
‘Kowtow to political correctness’
expect you to be aware of the powerful and symbolic nature of language and use gender-sensitive formulations. Failure to use gender- sensitive language will impact your mark.’
Dame Jenni Murray, the BBC presenter currently under fire over ‘transphobic’ comments was a student at Hull University.
Anthony Glees, politics professor at Buckingham University, said of the gender sensitivity rule: ‘This will doubtless be followed by many more universities. But the purpose of a university is to educate … not to kowtow to political correctness or mindless fads … It is important that students are taught to deal with facts and not political sentiment.’