At least, that's according to a new list of "acceptable" and "unacceptable" words issued to councillors and senior managers in an attempt to enforce political correctness within the Guildhall.
It brackets such terms as "foreigner" and "darling" in
the same category as "dyke" and "spastic". The list, leaked to the Yorkshire Post from several angry sources, has incensed many councillors, who have been told that words like "women" must be used over and above their "insulting" equivalents.
Although it prompted a swift apology from council chiefs, it was attacked as further proof that the authority is out of touch, and that it wasted time and resources on an " insulting" list. The guide was compiled by the council's Corporate Equalities Unit.
Conservative councillor John Fareham said: "I'm absolutely insulted. As far as I'm concerned, officers are employees, and my employees have just told me I can't call a lady a lady. To me, not calling a lady a lady is an insult, and to further say it is as unacceptable as genuinely derogatory terms for ethnic minorities is appalling.
"I'm sure this was all done with the best of intentions, but it hasn't done anybody any favours. "
Opposition leader Carl Minns, added: "It's frightenening that with all that's wrong with the council, this is what officers are getting up to, and hugely insulting to lump in words like 'elderly' with abhorrent racist slurs."
The Acting Head of Equalities has written to all recipients of the email to explain and apologise for any offence or confusion.
Of the other large local authorities in Yorkshire, none are believed to have produced a specific list of "banned words".
Sheffield Council said staff were expected to be appropriate and professional, but no list was implemented. A spokeswoman for Bradford Council, said: "We have a very clear equal opportunities policy and don't feel the need for a guide of this sort."
York Council banned wolf-whistling and pet names in the 1990s, but has no list of words in place. Leeds and Barnsley Councils also have no such guide in place.
Dave.Mark@ypn.co.uk
