Home Office staff told to avoid saying word 'mate' in bizarre new woke advice

The Home Office has said the material was not official government guidance and was an internal event for the department.
The Home Office has said the material was not official government guidance and was an internal event for the department.
Clara Molden
George McMillan

By George McMillan


Published: 17/01/2023

- 09:51

Updated: 14/02/2023

- 10:22

The Government department brought in a lunchtime session for staff to attend and learn more about the use of pronouns when speaking with other staff members

Home Office staff have been told to avoid using words like “mate” when speaking with colleagues in bizarre new guidance set out.

The Government’s security department received lunchtime presentations last week offering guidance on speaking to people with different gender identities.


EMBARGOED TO 0001 WEDNESDAY NOVEMBER 2 File photo dated 04/03/17 of a person using a laptop, as nearly a fifth (19%) of people have lied about a qualification on their CV, or know someone who has, in the past 12 months, according to a fraud prevention service.
Home Office have been staff told to avoid saying word "mate" in bizarre new woke advice.
Dominic Lipinski

Regarding people with mixed or split pronouns “he and they” were deemed appropriate and either could be used.

They said: “People use mixed pronouns for many different reasons - there’s no ‘one size fits all’ for NB people or people that used mixed pronouns, just as there isn’t for men and women”.

They were told to address people who used neopronouns, described as the use of a pronoun without showing gender, as “zie” or “eye”.

They were also encouraged to try using the nonbinary and mixed pronouns to get used to them.

The lunchtime sessions also shared certain words that employees should avoid using including “mate” but did not explicitly explain why it should not be used.

Elsewhere in the material leaked to the Guido Fawkes political blog, staff were urged not to call someone a “homosexual” as it could “reduce the person to purely sexual terms”.

They were also told not to use language that suggests a bisexual person is “greedy, undecided or going through a phase”.

One page, discussing what an ally is, says that the Civil Service “aims to be the most diverse and inclusive employer in the UK. That means not just attracting LGBT+ staff but ensuring they stay and thrive within the Civil Service”.

The Home Office has said the material was not official government guidance and was an internal event for the department.

General view of the sign and exterior of the Home Office building in Westminster, central London.
The sessions were held last week according to a leak from Guido Fawkes.
Clara Molden

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