Woke University of Kent comes under fire for telling students not to say ‘Christian name’ or ‘surname’ because the terms are ‘offensive’
- A university has been criticised for saying ‘Christian name’ is an offensive term
- The University of Kent also advised against students saying ‘surname’
A woke university has been criticised for trying to stop the use of the phrase ‘Christian name’, claiming it is offensive.
The University of Kent has told students to stop using the term because it claims it only relates to Christians.
Instead, it suggests that students say ‘first name’ or ‘given name’ to avoid being offensive.
The university also took against using ‘surname’ because it derives from ‘sire-name’ and was therefore deemed to be patriarchal.
Guidelines say the term is permitted but discouraged.
(File Photo) The University of Kent has told students to stop saying ‘Christian name’ in its guidelines
University bosses instead said ‘family name’ would be more acceptable.
The recommendations on what students should say in respect to names is listed on the University of Kent’s Equality, Diversity and Inclusivity pages online.
Tim Dieppe, head of policy at advocacy group Christian Concern, told The Telegraph the institution was ‘displaying an irrational fear of using the term “Christian” as if it is something to be ashamed of.
‘Christianity has provided the moral and spiritual foundation for Western civilisation.
‘This move to police language is another symptom of the abandonment of Christianity.’
Founder of the Free Speech Union Toby Young said the guideline were an example of the ‘woke movement’ attempting to police language considered offensive, adding trend was imported from American universities.
He said: ‘You might even say we’ve been colonised.
‘Policing language is a hallmark of every totalitarian society.’
The University of Kent said it wanted to create an inclusive community for its students.
A spokesperson said: ‘These are guidelines not policies.’
