Council staff banned from saying 'man on the street' in case women are offended

The phrase ‘man in the street’ has been outlawed by a council because it is ‘inherently sexist, not a fair reflection of reality, and makes the views or work of women invisible’.

Members and staff of Chichester District Council in West Sussex are instead told to use ‘a positive alternative’ such as ‘the general public’.

They are also advised to avoid phrases such as ‘manning the switchboard’ , and the words Mrs, Miss, girl and lady. Other suggestions include avoiding phrases like ‘old woman’, ‘old fool’ and ‘old codger’.



The guide has been sent to parish councils in the area, and last night the chairman of one of them said he was outraged to receive instructions on how to speak and write, describing the whole idea as ‘ghastly political correctness’.

Tony Colpoys, who heads Ebernoe parish council, said: ' 'The language guide was sent to me about a month ago and I was outraged when I found that we were no longer allowed to refer to "the man on the street".

'This kind of thing really gets my goat - it's not as though anybody in their right mind would believe that the 'man in the street' referred solely to the male sex.'