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MEPs scorn 'gender neutral' guide MEPs scorn 'gender neutral' guide
(20 minutes later)
A "Gender Neutral Language" booklet distributed to Euro MPs has irritated some of them by advising against using words like "man-made" and "manpower".A "Gender Neutral Language" booklet distributed to Euro MPs has irritated some of them by advising against using words like "man-made" and "manpower".
Three Conservative MEPs have written to the European Parliament's Secretary General Klaus Welle, demanding that the booklet be withdrawn.Three Conservative MEPs have written to the European Parliament's Secretary General Klaus Welle, demanding that the booklet be withdrawn.
"I think they should be ridiculed for wasting time on such nonsense," Tory MEP Martin Callanan told BBC News."I think they should be ridiculed for wasting time on such nonsense," Tory MEP Martin Callanan told BBC News.
The booklet from the parliament's secretariat came out two weeks ago.The booklet from the parliament's secretariat came out two weeks ago.
In a joint declaration, Mr Callanan and Tory MEPs Roger Helmer and Christopher Heaton-Harris said the use of Romance languages in the EU - with their masculine and feminine articles for nouns - made such gender rules "not only absurd but impossible".In a joint declaration, Mr Callanan and Tory MEPs Roger Helmer and Christopher Heaton-Harris said the use of Romance languages in the EU - with their masculine and feminine articles for nouns - made such gender rules "not only absurd but impossible".
Their declaration calls on the parliament and its president "to recall the 'Gender Neutral Language' booklet and to apologise for it".Their declaration calls on the parliament and its president "to recall the 'Gender Neutral Language' booklet and to apologise for it".
A parliament official, who asked not to be named, told the BBC that the booklet provided "advice about best practice". "It doesn't ban anything, it's not a rule book," the official explained, saying its purpose was to deal with "sometimes delicate issues of language".A parliament official, who asked not to be named, told the BBC that the booklet provided "advice about best practice". "It doesn't ban anything, it's not a rule book," the official explained, saying its purpose was to deal with "sometimes delicate issues of language".
Concern about resourcesConcern about resources
Quoting from the 13-page booklet, Mr Callanan said it suggested using "staff" instead of "manpower", "the French" instead of "Frenchmen", "synthetic" or "artificial" instead of "man-made" and "advisory panel" instead of "committee of wise men". The 13-page booklet suggests using "staff" instead of "manpower", "the French" instead of "Frenchmen", "synthetic" or "artificial" instead of "man-made" and "advisory panel" instead of "committee of wise men".
The Tory MEPs want to know how much time and money was spent producing the booklet.The Tory MEPs want to know how much time and money was spent producing the booklet.
If their declaration is published officially they can invite other MEPs to sign it.If their declaration is published officially they can invite other MEPs to sign it.
But Mr Callanan said he doubted that the parliament's bureaucracy would make the Tory MEPs' declaration official. He blamed Secretary General Welle's predecessor Harald Romer for the booklet.But Mr Callanan said he doubted that the parliament's bureaucracy would make the Tory MEPs' declaration official. He blamed Secretary General Welle's predecessor Harald Romer for the booklet.
The parliament official told the BBC that the aim was to help MEPs and staff - especially translators - "deal appropriately with different languages - the way they talk about gender".The parliament official told the BBC that the aim was to help MEPs and staff - especially translators - "deal appropriately with different languages - the way they talk about gender".
The official noted that in English now "firefighters" is often used instead of "firemen", while in French the feminine word "la presidente" is used now instead of "Madame le president" to mean "female chairman".The official noted that in English now "firefighters" is often used instead of "firemen", while in French the feminine word "la presidente" is used now instead of "Madame le president" to mean "female chairman".
The booklet was printed internally, the official said, "so there are no budgetary implications apart from the physical cost of the paper".The booklet was printed internally, the official said, "so there are no budgetary implications apart from the physical cost of the paper".