Students at Hull University face losing marks on essays unless they employ “gender-sensitive” language.

Documents obtained under freedom of information legislation show undergraduates at the university have been advised that “language is important and highly symbolic” and informed they should be “aware of the powerful and symbolic nature of language and use gender-sensitive formulations”, while “failure to use gender-sensitive language will impact your mark”.

The document, obtained by the Sunday Times, related to undergraduates on a religious activism course in the university’s school of social science.



The direction follows moves by a number of universities to promote gender-neutral language.



Cardiff Metropolitan University’s code of practice on language has a “gender-neutral term” checklist, giving alternatives for words or phrases, including using “efficient” for “workmanlike” and “supervisor” for “foreman”. Bath University encourages neutral alternatives to “mankind” such as “humanity”, “humans” or “people”.



Two years ago, the University of North Carolina handed out a gender-inclusive language guide, which encouraged students away from using words such as “mailman” , “policeman”, “man-made” and other terms, giving alternative titles or descriptions, such as “postal carrier”.



The Hull University directive is seen as going further, with some critics describing it as “linguistic policing”.



Frank Furedi, the emeritus professor of sociology at Kent University, told the Sunday Times: “Usually such threats are implicit rather than spelt out as in the case of Hull. This linguistic policing is used as a coercive tool to impose a conformist outlook. The alternative is to pay a penalty of being marked down.”



Prof Alan Smithers, director of the centre for education and employment research at the University of Buckingham, told the newspaper: “Malcolm Bradbury satirised it brilliantly in the 1970s in The History Man where an examiners’ meeting could not get under way until it had agreed on whether to call the chairman Mr Chairperson. That was more than 40 years ago and by now we should have grown beyond this pettifogging.”

But Dr Lia Litosseliti, senior lecturer in linguistics at City, University of London, told the Guardian: “Language is a symbolic resource and words are rarely neutral. Given the many possibilities for using language to define, trivialise or make people and groups invisible, it should come as no surprise that linguistic intervention as one way to help build more inclusive societies has a long history.

“It is easy to dismiss or ridicule such attempts (as is often done) as ‘policing’ or ‘political correctness gone mad’. It is harder to have a proper discussion about the genuine need to raise awareness of the role language can play in reinforcing as well as contesting gender inequalities.



“Even harder still, is to have the discussion about language while at the same time addressing, and not obscuring, the very real, structural inequalities in our society. This is the discussion we should be having.”

Prof Judith Baxter, emeritus professor of applied linguistics at Aston University, said: “The principle of gender-neutral language has been around for at least 30 years. Businesses, schools, publishing, academic and educational texts use gender-neutral language now. So there is a total expectation.



“Most universities have just incorporated it in their general way of things. So it is a little bit odd that they have made it regulatory. I just think that is a step too far. Taking this regulatory, punitive attitude to the whole business of gender neutrality is a backward step. What it does is set up resistance. It will make people annoyed, not want to comply, when I think the majority of students would incorporate these sorts of approaches anyway.”

There was no immediate comment from Hull University. But a senior lecturer in religion at the university, speaking anonymously, said: “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 gender-neutral, they will be offered feedback as to why. Deduction of marks is taken on a case-by-case basis.”