Hearing “Ladies and Gentlemen” on London’s Underground is set to become a thing of the past as Transport for London looks to lose gendered announcements.
It appears that Transport for London (TfL) is to stop using the term “ladies and gentlemen” to replace with a simple “everyone” on its public announcements. Campaigners have stressed that the gendered term belongs in the past.
Employees have been told to stop using the term in announcements to passengers and instead use a more inclusive “everyone”.
The change is happening after campaigners appealed to Sadiq Khan, London’s Mayor, to update the policy on announcements.
Mark Evers, TfL’s boss of customer strategy, said the corporation wanted,
“everyone to feel welcome on our transport network”.
“We have reviewed the language that we use in announcements and elsewhere and will make sure that it is fully inclusive, reflecting the great diversity of London.”
Stonewall, the LGBT charity backed the changes saying,
“Language is extremely important to the lesbian, gay, bi and trans community, and the way we use it can help ensure all people feel included.
“We welcome gender neutral announcements to be rolled out across TfL, as it will ensure that everyone – no matter who they identify as – feels accounted for.”
Speaking at the Mayor’s Question Time last month, Sadiq explained,
“Transport for London serves a vibrant, diverse and multicultural city, and provision of an inclusive transport service is at the heart of TfL’s purpose,” he said.
“I am aware however, that some customers may not relate to or feel comfortable with the way that certain station announcements are made.
“I am keen that TfL addresses these concerns by speaking in a more neutral way when referring to gender.”
Should 'ladies and gentlemen' announcements be scrapped on the Tube?
— THE GAY UK (@TheGayUK) July 13, 2017
The term “ladies and gentleman” is offensive? This is honestly pretty dumb; and the extreme ultra Liberals of this movement are out of touch with reality. They think that by labeling everything offensive and creating new ways to feel offended, that they are somehow helping the Gay rights cause and equality movement. Yet the right wing loons feed off of ridiculousness such as this. Theres no reason to make it gender neutral.
Utterly disgraceful. There’s men and women, no one is different.
I don’t think this is such important to say “we’re never going to be accepted for a long time”.
This nonsense is being promulgated over the entirety of the modern world. People are being told that feelings are enough to define a person. The fact that we’re pushing nonsense that is equatable to religious zealotry… Damn right this is enough to force a majority to turn tail and say “enough is enough”
Even trans are still ladies OR gentlemen. There’s only two genders. No secret third we’ve being missing for thousands of years!!! ???
Fuck sake, this is getting well out of hand now and genuinely pissing off 90-95% of the population. We’re never going to be accepted for a very long time.
These activists won’t be happy until we become bland, nameless, sexless, genderless drones. Ladies and Gentlemen has worked for centuries and now because someone chooses, to be non-binary yes chooses, we have change an entire way of addressing people. Eegardless of what you want to identify as you have a biological sex. I couldn’t give a fig if you want/feel/assign to be male or female but to identify as nothing? You’re not special, you’re not interesting. In fact you’re the most annoying section of the LGBTQIAPPCF community. Don’t mind us. We will just become “everyone” in order to make you feel slightly better about your nothingness.
Utterly agree