Flinders University apologises, deletes online harassment guidelines after a complaint about ‘inappropriate’ language

Flinders University has apologised and removed its online discrimination guidelines which likened “husband” and “wife” to derogatory terms like “homo” and “faggot”.

Flinders University has apologised for publishing a list of derogatory and offensive terms about minority groups which included listing husband and wife as “inappropriate” words.

The university’s harassment and discrimination guidelines were removed only hours after a transgender student raised concerns about outdated and discriminatory language within the published list.

The online document, which was a hold over from an earlier version of the universities website, included a lengthy list of terms considered “inappropriate”.

Among the approved terms were “lesbian, gay man and partner” while inappropriate terms included “dyke and poofter” as well as “husband and wife”.

The guidelines also referred to the “condition of trans-sexualism”.

The World Health Organisation ceased considering transgender as a “mental health condition” in 2019 and the term “transsexual” is widely considered to be outdated and offensive.

The student posted on a private Facebook group for students of Flinders University late one evening last week.

Staff from the university saw the post the next morning and urgently reviewed the content of the guidelines.

A post by the University in response to the criticism apologised to the student and others for the online guidelines.

“We agree that the content on the website is inappropriate,” the post said.

“We are taking immediate action to remove it and will engage with students and the wider diversity community on our campuses to review the content.

“Equality, diversity and inclusion are fundamental values that we are committed to upholding in words and in practice – it is clear that improvement is needed and we still have work to do.

“We commit to doing this work.”

Flinders University, Bedford Park, Adelaide. Picture: NCA NewsWire / Kelly Barnes

Transcend, a national support group for transgender people, South Australian representative Jane Russo said the language was extrememly dated.

“We’ve gone beyond this kind of language,” she said.

“When it comes to husband and wife it really comes down to a matter of personal choice.

“As for transsexual – it is a mix of language which misconstrues sexuality and gender.”

After the reply was posted online the guidelines were taken down, leaving only a message that the web page had been removed for review.

A Flinders University spokeswoman told The Advertiser that the content of the guidelines was old content which was outdated and unsuitable for purpose.

She said the university would be liaising with the school’s Pride group to ensure the guidelines were “up to speed” and appropriate before they would be republished.

The complainant was unavailable for comment.