Army Abandons ‘Gentleman’s Agreement’, ‘Mankind’ as Officers Order Gender Neutral Language

Notices posted in a British military training establishment dreamt up by the Joint Equality Diversity and Inclusion unit are instructing fresh recruits to replace commonly used English words and expressions with politically correct alternatives.

The two-page document, posted above urinals at the Shrivenham defence academy, instructs training soldiers, sailors, and airmen in the new English mandated for gender-neutral armed forces.

Britain’s Sun newspaper reports the remarks of an Army source who said “inappropriate language is a real problem” as increasing numbers of women, transgender soldiers, and sexual minorities enter the forces. The Ministry of Defence said: “We are promoting a modern, inclusive, working environment to ensure individuals are recognised and feel valued.”

Among the phrases being removed from service are ‘best man for the job’, which is to be replaced by the gender-neutral ‘best person for the job’. Popular salutation ‘chaps’ is giving way to ‘folks’ or ‘friends’, while ‘housewife’ will be swapped for ‘shopper’ or ‘homemaker’.

Other examples of the word ‘man’ are being removed from official language, with ‘Gentleman’s Agreement’ becoming an ‘Unwritten Agreement’, and ‘mankind’, ‘delivery man’, ‘man in the street’, ‘manpower’, and ‘sportsmanship’ all being phased out.

The notice comes just days after plans to scrap the British Army’s recruiting slogan “Be the Best” alongside the traditional coat of arms because market research found them guilty of being “dated, elitist and non-inclusive” were postponed.

The British armed forces’ haste to get women and minorities into front-line roles created the paradoxical situation in September 2016, when General Sir James Everard celebrated the first female soldier in a front-line infantry unit — a 24-year old transgender Guardsman originally called Ben.

Now undergoing hormone treatment, Guardsman Chloe Allen will be joined by the first directly recruited female front-line soldiers as they arrive in the Army in 2018.

Follow Oliver Lane on Facebook, Twitter: Follow @Oliver_Lane or e-mail: olane[at]breitbart.com