- Australian airline Qantas has told staff to use ‘gender appropriate’ terms
- People and Culture group executive Lesley Grant issued an information booklet
- Material was produced by the Diversity Council of Australia, airline said
Australian airline Qantas has told staff to use ‘gender appropriate’ terms and avoid saying ‘husband and wife’ because it may offend the LGBTI community.
Qantas’ People and Culture group executive Lesley Grant issued an information booklet detailing how to make employees feel more comfortable at work in line with the airline’s Spirit of Inclusion month, The Daily Telegraph reported.
It asks employees to stop using words such as ‘honey, darling and love’ because they have the capacity to offend.
Australian airline Qantas has told staff to use ‘gender appropriate’ terms and avoid saying ‘husband and wife’ because it may offend the LGBTI community
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It also advises staff to use ‘partner’ instead of husband and wife, and ‘parents’ instead of mum and dad because it could exclude LGBTI families.
The pack asks Qantas workers to not use gender-inappropriate terms such as mankind or fireman.
The information states: ‘Language can make groups of people invisible. For example, the use of the term chairman can reinforce the idea that leaders are always men.’
‘Words like love, honey or darling, even when used as terms of endearment, often offend. In the workplace, it is best to avoid these sorts of words.’
Ms Grant told staff she wants the work environment at Qantas to be a place ‘everyone feels comfortable to bring their whole selves to work’.
The material was produced by the Diversity Council of Australia, Qantas told The Daily Telegraph.
Daily Mail Australia has contacted Qantas for comment.
Qantas CEO Alan Joyce (centre) celebrates the 40th annual Mardi Gras festival in Sydney
Australian airline Qantas has told staff to use ‘gender appropriate’ terms