Claims the terms could be "hurtful"...
Authored by Steve Watson: The Methodist Church in the UK has issued an ‘inclusive language’ guide,
advising followers to refrain from using terms such as ‘husband’,
‘wife’, ‘brother’, and ‘sister’, reasoning that some people might find
them “hurtful”.
The Christian Post reports that
the guide lists extensive categories of people with whom Methodists are
advised to use “sensitive and inclusive” language when addressing
minorities that have been “marginalised and/or demonised by common
culture.”
The guide notes that “As Christians, we need to have the
courage for conversations that can sometimes be difficult, to recognise
that we sometimes exclude people, to listen with humility, to repent of
any hurtful language and to take care with how we listen and what we
say or write, in the Spirit of Christ.”
It continues, “There is
infinite variety in the way that God’s creation is expressed in human
life. This is worth bearing in mind as we speak and write. Terminology
such as ‘husband’ and ‘wife’ may sound inoffensive but it makes
assumptions about a family or personal life that is not the reality for
many people.”
It adds that “The words ‘parent,’ ‘partner’, and
‘child’ are a good place to start. ‘Carer’ is also a neutral yet
understandable way to refer to the primary carer of a child, who may or
may not be their parent.”
Not ‘mother’ or ‘father’ then.
