University accused of 'woke gobbledegook' as it cuts the word 'woman' from maternity leave and menopause policies
4 May 2023, 07:24
A university has been slammed for cutting the word "woman" from its maternity leave policy.
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The University of the Arts London's (UAL) updated guidance to tell staff maternity applies to "all genders".
The guidance reads: “Expectant parents may be of any gender including trans, non-binary, agender, gender nonconforming, genderqueer and gender fluid individuals.”
UAL also scrapped the word from its menopause policy - opting for "individual", "person" and "people" instead.
It says: "UAL recognise that menopause may also be experienced by colleagues who do not identify as female, so this guidance and support content is intended to support anyone experiencing menopause, regardless of their gender identity."
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Reacting to the change, director of the Free Speech Union Toby Young said the university "has become so pickled in woke gobbledegook it's becoming a bit of a joke", according to MailOnline.
"Nearly all these institutions are publicly funded, yet all the polling indicates the public are overwhelmingly opposed to this nonsense," he said.
"The University of the Arts has become so pickled in woke gobbledegook it's becoming a bit of a joke. I hope it can correct course before it goes bankrupt."
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However, the university said it was "proud" of its policy, saying the language "accurately reflects" its inclusive policies.
A spokesman said: "The language used accurately reflects the inclusive nature of the policy which applies to all new parents at UAL, regardless of gender, sexual orientation or how people become parents.
"Therefore, any woman who becomes a parent is entitled to the benefits of the policy.
"Similarly, any woman who is experiencing menopause is also supported through our policies.
"We welcome constructive discussions with any other institutions interested in learning more about the value of Equal Parental Leave and our Menopause Policy which not only benefit our staff members individually but also contribute to a more equitable workplace."
