Microsoft Word has flagged terms that are not inclusive, such as “maternity leave,” “mother,” and “father.”
Those using the software are advised to use “birth-related leave,” “parental leave,” or “childbirth leave” when referring to “maternity leave,” The Telegraph reported. When referencing time off for fathers, Microsoft Word recommends using “child-bonding leave.”
Users can opt out of the inclusion function.
Free Speech Union director Toby Young told the Telegraph that the feature, which launched in 2019, is a “particularly insidious form of language policing, reminiscent of 1984.”
“It’s as though there’s a censor in your computer scolding you for departing from politically correct orthodoxy,” he said.
Other words that have been previously flagged by Microsoft Word include “mankind,” “biologically female,” and “Mrs.”
