Woke university comes under fire for telling students not to say 'Christian name'

A woke university has been criticised for trying to stop use of the phrase ‘Christian name’, claiming it is offensive.

The University of Kent has told students to stop using the term because it claims it only relates to Christians. 

Instead, it suggests students say ‘first name’ or ‘given name’ to avoid being offensive.

The university also took against using ‘surname’ because it derives from ‘sire-name’ and was therefore deemed to be patriarchal.

Guidelines say the term is permitted but discouraged.

(File Photo) The University of Kent has told students to stop saying ‘Christian name’ in its guidelines

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University bosses instead said ‘family name’ would be more acceptable.

The recommendations on what students should say in respect to names is listed on the University of Kent’s Equality, Diversity and Inclusivity pages online.

But Tim Dieppe, head of policy at advocacy group Christian Concern, told The Telegraph that the institution was ‘displaying an irrational fear of using the term “Christian” as if it is something to be ashamed of’.

He added: ‘Christianity has provided the moral and spiritual foundation for Western civilisation. This move to police language is another symptom of the abandonment of Christianity.’ 

Toby Young, founder of the Free Speech Union, said the guidelines were an example of the ‘woke movement’ attempting to police language considered offensive, and that the trend was imported from American universities.

He added: ‘You might even say we’ve been colonised. Policing language is a hallmark of every totalitarian society.’

The University of Kent said it wanted to create an inclusive community for its students. A spokesperson said: ‘These are guidelines not policies.’