University of Sydney insists on ‘non-discriminatory’ language even if it is grammatically wrong

STUDENTS are being marked down for using “mankind” and “he or she” in essays in the ­latest university crusade against sexist language.

Students attend a university lecture. The University of Sydney has banned the traditional use of “he’’ to describe a generic person.

STUDENTS are being marked down for using “mankind” and “he or she” in essays in the ­latest university crusade against sexist language.

Unis have officially banned words such as “manpower’’ and “workmanship”, instructing students and staff to use gender-neutral language.

The University of Sydney insists “non-discriminatory language’’ be used in essays, assignments and lectures, even if it is grammatically wrong.

Its Department of Gender and Cultural Studies has banned the traditional use of “he’’ to describe a generic person.

Students relaxing in the Agora at La Trobe University. Generic pic of students supplied by the uni for HS Tertiary Offers Guide 2017

“This has become unacceptable in recent years so it is important in your writing to include both men and women when referring generically to a person or persons,’’ the department’s style guide states.

It says “they’’ should be used in place of “he” or “she” and cites the example, “If a student wants their results early, they should go to the student centre’’.

The style guide adds: “Although this last sentence is grammatically incorrect, in speech it has become common practice to use the pronoun ‘they’ when referring to a generic person.’’

The University of Newcastle’s inclusive language guide bans “mankind’’

Sydney’s UTS instructs students to “avoid sexism in language’’ by banning the words mankind, man-made or spokesman.

But it gives students the grammatically correct advice not to use “their” or “they’’ instead of “him’’ or “her” when referring to one person.

The University of Newcastle’s inclusive language guide bans “mankind’’, insisting that students use the terms humanity, the human race or human kind, despite them also containing the word “man’’.

The University of Queensland has marked down students for using “gendered language’’ in essays.

A politics student was penalised for using the grammatically correct pronoun of “she’’ to describe a car. And a science student lost marks for using “mankind’’ in an essay about the scientific method.

“I lost 10 marks — it’s such a stupid thing to be marked down for,’’ the student said.

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“I heard of a girl in a different course who was marked down for using the words ‘man-made’ and ‘sportsmanship’. It’s a bit ridiculous — you can’t just ban every word with ‘man’ in it.’’

The uni’s essay guide for political science says students must not use “female pronouns’’ for objects, such as referring to a boat as “she’’.

Federal Education Minister Simon Birmingham slammed the policies.

But the Oxford Dictionary states that “she’’ can “refer to a ship, vehicle, country or other inanimate thing regarded as female’’. And the Macquarie Dictionary defines “mankind’’ as “human beings collectively’’.

Monash University tells staff and students to use “workforce’’ instead of “manpower’’, and “artificial” instead of “man-made’’.

It says it is not politically correct, but accurate, fair and respectful.

Federal Education Minister Simon Birmingham slammed the policies, declaring it wrong that universities were dictating “nanny state stuff’’ to students.

“This just reinforces the stereotype of academic elites in ivory towers judging everyday Australians,’’ he said.

“Our universities should be better than this rubbish.’’