Placeholder Content Image

British Airways introduces gender neutral greetings

<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">British Airways are adopting new tactics to make their journeys more inclusive to all travellers. </span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">The UK airline giant is joining a growing list of travel companies that are implementing more gender-neutral language, by ditching the traditional "ladies and gentlemen" greeting.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">While the move falls in line with an industry-wide global trend, the decision is also due to a change in the airline’s clientele, with the carrier reporting more children onboard since COVID-19 restrictions have been lessened. </span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">According to the </span><a href="https://www.telegraph.co.uk/business/2021/10/09/hello-passengers-inclusive-welcome-announcement/"><span style="font-weight: 400;">Telegraph</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">, the new policies would adhere to changing social norms, as well as make younger customers feel more included. </span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">The airline is just one of many to make the important change. </span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Japan Airlines was one of the first major carriers to ditch the traditional “ladies and gentlemen” titles for inflight announcements back in 2020. </span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">German carrier Lufthansa also changed their language to a more inclusive tone in July, as they pledged their commitment to diversity. </span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Qantas has also made strides towards inclusivity in 2018, as they changed the use of “mother and father” to “parents” on all flights to include parents of different sexualities. </span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">At the time, the airline introduced a new staff booklet highlighting language geared towards the</span> <a href="https://www.qantasnewsroom.com.au/media-releases/qantas-releases-video-to-celebrate-the-spirit-of-australia/"><span style="font-weight: 400;">"Spirit of Inclusion"</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">, </span><span style="font-weight: 400;">which advised against using language that could be deemed offensive to the LGBTQ+ community. </span></p> <p><em><span style="font-weight: 400;">Image credit: Shutterstock</span></em></p>

Travel Tips

Placeholder Content Image

Backlash over suggested new term for "pregnant woman"

<p><span>Melbourne radio host Tom Elliott critiqued "politically correct idiocy" that he believes is filtering into Australia from the UK.</span><br /><br /><span>Elliot accused the UK of trying to "de-genderise the English language", and labelled it "very strange stuff".</span><br /><br /><span>His anger stems from the call to change the term “breastfeeding” to “chest feeding” as a way to be inclusive.</span><br /><br /><span>The move was followed by a similar decision made by the Australian National University.</span><br /><br /><span>"ANU is committed to equity and diversity and ensuring we reflect the broad nature, background and experiences of Australians and our society, as well as a being a safe and welcoming campus for all people," a university spokesperson informed Yahoo News Australia last week.</span></p> <p><img style="width: 500px; height: 281.2817904374364px;" src="https://oversixtydev.blob.core.windows.net/media/7836441/senior-pregnant.jpg" alt="" data-udi="umb://media/fdfd6af96ded4acab24b490117e52059" /></p> <p><em>Image: Shutterstock</em></p> <p><span>Harriet Shing, Victoria's first openly gay female MP, called for inclusive language to start being used in Australia.</span><br /><br /><span>This includes the removal of gender when referring to someone who is pregnant.</span><br /><br /><span>The Australian National University’s Gender Institute guide also has similar advice and suggests using the terms “gestational” or “birthing parent” rather than “mother”, and the terms “non-gestational” or “non-birthing parent” rather than “father”.</span><br /><br /><span>“This is madness in the UK and they’re pursuing this politically correct idiocy with great fervour over there [and] it is spreading here," Elliott said on 3AW.</span><br /><br /><span>On Thursday, the use of the term “person” over “mother” in legislation allowing cabinet ministers maternity leave was rejected.</span><br /><br /><span>"This amendment means the law will no longer protect trans and non-binary individuals as it should," transgender charity Mermaid said in response.</span></p> <p><span><img style="width: 0px; height:0px;" src="https://oversixtydev.blob.core.windows.net/media/7840054/4pm-4.jpg" alt="" data-udi="umb://media/5bb9f4f3ce684068bfb0eb13adc4a691" /></span></p> <p><em>Image: Shutterstock</em><img style="width: 0px; height:0px;" src="/nothing.jpg" alt="" data-udi="umb://media/5bb9f4f3ce684068bfb0eb13adc4a691" /></p> <p><span>"This is yet another example of an insidious campaign that follows a pattern of taking a minority group and portraying them as a threat to women, but providing no evidence."</span><br /><br /><span>Elliott's angry words follow behind toy giant Hasbro who announced it would be dropping the honourifics from Mr and Mrs Potato Head.</span></p>

Body

Our Partners