Scottish tour guides ordered not use 'gendered language' like 'mum' and 'dad'

Bosses at Historic Environment Scotland have been slammed for ordering tour guides at its premises not to use 'non-inclusive', gendered language like 'mum' and 'dad'.

The taxpayer-funded organisation, which runs hundreds of attractions in Scotland including Edinburgh Castle, has also banned staff from saying 'ladies and gentlemen', 'boys and girls', 'sister' and 'brother'.

Staff dealing with members of the public are ordered to instead use 'inclusive alternatives' such as 'visitors', 'grown'ups', 'buddies' and 'friends' to avoid causing offence to people.

The diktat states: “The most important thing is to avoid presuming that you can accurately tell a person’s gender...It is better to use gender-neutral and inclusive language so that everyone feels welcomed".

Asked for comment by The Sun, a spokesman for CARE said:

"The idea that people will be offended by the use of everyday terms rooted in biological reality is ridiculous. What's truly offensive is a taxpayer-funded organisation compelling its staff to use political language to satisfy the demands of gender ideologues."

MSP Rachael Hamilton said:

“It is difficult to imagine how anyone would be offended by the innocent language HES has taken issue with. This advice may be well-intentioned, but it is lacking in all common sense.

“By telling staff not to use these completely normal words and phrases, HES has only ensured staff will spend more time second guessing themselves than engaging with visitors to Scotland’s most famous attractions.

“They should scrap this stifling guidance and allow employees to do their jobs and express themselves freely and naturally on the topics they know best.”

Marion Calder, from For Women Scotland, said:

"This pre-supposes everyone is permanently wired to be offended. What this is really about is pushing, yet again, a political agenda and supporting self-id.

“This is drifting into compelled speech or to put it another way requesting staff to check their thinking.”