'Language guide' at work...WTF?

[Startingagainandagain]

All staff have been given a copy of a 'language guide' produced by a well known charity who 'fights global poverty'.

First of all I object to that particular charity because they have been embroiled in well-publicised scandals in the past and I briefly volunteered in our of their shops and was not impressed with their head office.

So I am not certain as to why my organisation chose them as an example of excellence.

I got around to reading the actual guide today and was really annoyed by some of the content include things like 'Cis woman' (I absolute refuse to be referred in this way) and also a definition of 'white feminism' which literally states that 'white feminism' ignores the needs of of non-white women and 'queer' women. Which as a bisexual, white feminist is news to me.

People on this forum have probably come across this guide before but I must say I was not impressed by its content now that I have seen all the details of it and I am baffled as to why this is distributed in workplaces.

I am all for equality and diversity but this really is not the right way to go...

Is it safe to complain OP?

If it is the charity I am thinking of, apparently a couple of long standing volunteers left our local shop as they felt the money spent on all that nonsense was wasting their donated income.

I don't ever shop there any more, they lost me as a customer and donor when they published that.

The Oxfam one? There was a thread about that probably contains some useful arguments and references if you do want to complain.

Oxfam have a really bad reputation with women. The rapes, the training, the doxxing of JKR. Ironically they are held together by the donations, volunteer hours and paid services of women.

Is that the charity that "fights global poverty" by employing men who coerce vulnerable refugees into sex acts in exchange for food and shelter?

Take it to HR and be formal and clear and polite

Indeed, you have correctly identified the charity...

I will have a look at the previous thread mentioned. That's really helpful thank you.

I was just trying to dig out a link but can't find it. I wonder if the thread got zapped. Annoying, if so.

No sign of the thread about the language guide/training, or the one about their Pride/JKR animation. Deleters have been busy.

Maybe one of these?

https://www.mumsnet.com/talk/am_i_being_unreasonable/4765085-to-think-that-oxfam-should-cancel-themselves

https://www.mumsnet.com/talk/womens_rights/4764806-oxfam-inclusive-language-guide

https://www.mumsnet.com/talk/womens_rights/4952923-oxfams-analysis-of-its-inclusive-language-crises

Thanks - I wonder why they didn't come up in my search.

Did you advance search (I looked for oxfam language)? I find the standard search just doesn't work.

I tried both, but only got the 3rd one you linked either way.

Is there anything in that guide related to language used when talking about global poverty? What expertise on gender matters do they profess to have? They need to stay in their lane (and reflect that countries facing poverty have more urgent problems than gender identity to be dealing with).

Igmum · Today 13:23

Oxfam have a really bad reputation with women. The rapes, the training, the doxxing of JKR.

Crikey, I missed that last one. What are the details, please?

Have found these, not in date order, and not all about language

https://www.mumsnet.com/talk/womens_rights/4821347-fuck-oxfam

https://www.mumsnet.com/talk/womens_rights/4864205-the-cheek-of-oxfam

https://www.mumsnet.com/talk/womens_rights/4296390-Oxfam-advert-for-a-job-do-you-know-your-intersectional-feminism

https://www.mumsnet.com/talk/feminism/4266830-Oxfam-training-document-blames-women-for-the-root-causes-of-sexual-violence

https://www.mumsnet.com/talk/womens_rights/4820905-oxfam-on-trans

https://www.mumsnet.com/talk/feminism/4267550-Who-are-the-real-casualties-of-the-white-feminist-war-machine

And there were / are a couple of AIBU.

Not sure if this will help OP, but does indicate Oxfam has been a "problematic" charity, and maybe a more user friendly one could be adopted. One that doesn't think because they are aid workers then can then lecture everybody on what to say and what to think!

Thank you everyone for all the feedback and the link to the previous thread about the Oxfam language guide was really useful.

I am rather puzzled as to why a charity that should be focusing on fighting global poverty decided to spend so much time and I assume money producing this odd guide. What a waste of fundraised money.