Bristol University has issued guidance on its website about sex and gender, discouraging the use of words such as 'mankind' and 'manpower'. To avoid terms the University deems 'unnecessarily gendered language', staff and students are being told to drop certain terms in favour of more inclusive language.
The Russell Group university, which has historic roots in Bristol as a 146-year-old institution, has a style guide on its website to advise staff and students about 'inclusive writing'. By ditching terms such as 'mankind' and 'manpower', and instead using synonyms that aren't gendered, it says staff and students can avoid 'offensive' terminology.
Students and staff are encouraged to replace 'mankind' with 'humankind', 'manpower' with 'workforce' and to replace the use of 'manmade' with words such as 'artificial' or 'synthetic'. More 'gendered' terminology is also encouraged to be replaced with other terms in the University's sex and gender style guide.
