Microsoft Word flags 'maternity leave,' suggests other 'inclusive' phrases
Inclusive or Orwellian?
That’s the question surrounding Microsoft's latest update to an “inclusivity” tool on its Word program, which now recommends replacing the term "maternity leave" with more “inclusive” language.
When a user types the phrase “maternity leave” in Editor mode, a blue dotted line appears underneath, indicating a suggested revision. Upon clicking the blue line, a text box reads, “Inclusiveness suggestions: This term may not be inclusive of all genders" and suggests other terms like "parental leave," "birth-related leave" and "childbirth leave.”
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Launched in 2019, Microsoft’s inclusivity function has stirred controversy for its extensive recommendations. The software flags terms such as “Postman” in favor of "Postal Worker" and advises changing “Mrs.” to "Ms." — even suggesting that “Mrs. Thatcher” should become “Ms. Thatcher.”
Other suggestions include replacing “mankind” with “humankind” or “humanity,” a move that extended to the famous words of astronaut Neil Armstrong, "one giant leap for mankind," which are now recommended to be altered to “one giant leap for humankind.”
Microsoft’s latest update, however, has sparked an outcry, particularly over its recommendation to replace "maternity leave" with more neutral terms. Critics argue that this move undermines the specific biological and cultural significance of maternity leave for women.
In December 2023, the functionality even caught the eye of billionaire entrepreneur Elon Musk, who also weighed in on the controversy. The owner of social media platform X shared a post mocking the tool, revealing that even the word “insane” was flagged for its lack of inclusivity.
"Microsoft Word now scolds you if you use words that aren’t 'inclusive,'" Musk wrote.
It’s not just Microsoft: in 2022, Google introduced a similar inclusivity feature in its Google Docs software. For instance, the word "landlord" is flagged as potentially non-inclusive, with suggestions to use “property owner” or "proprietor." Google also recommends replacing gendered terms like "policemen" with “police officers” and "housewife" with “stay-at-home spouse.”
Ironically, Microsoft president Brad Smith warned in 2021 about the potential for artificial intelligence leading to greater censorship.
Smith told the BBC that he fears a failure to regulate AI could set up an Orwellian future as early as this year.
“I’m constantly reminded of George Orwell’s lessons in his book 1984. You know the fundamental story … was about a government who could see everything that everyone did and hear everything that everyone said all the time,” Smith told the British network.
“Well, that didn’t come to pass in 1984, but if we’re not careful that could come to pass in 2024,” he added. “If we don’t enact the laws that will protect the public in the future, we are going to find the technology racing ahead, and it’s going to be very difficult to catch up.”
