BBC in word play scam!

The BBC gives me the impression that they are "leaders" in the way English words and phrases are used. It was the BBC that led the way in imposing a new name for Bombay on us, whilst steadfastly refusing to do the same with European cities. The corporation has a distinct power in the land when it comes to the way we speak. Although it is not down to them alone, there are other contributors, it seems that the BBC is at the heart of it. They took to speaking only in meters. Woe betide anyone who dares to say feet for a measurement. They will be upbraided, often on screen.

Now the BBC is stubbornly using "gender" instead of "sex". Sometimes it sounds too stupid for words. The thought of athletes having "gender tests" renders the language a fortune to hostage as far as the politically correct brigade are concerned. This is not about pronunciation, or bad grammar as such. Rather it is the insiduous elevation by a thought police of a control system. At one time such behaviour would be countered. Now it seems we don't have the stomach to resist.

What's wrong with sex?

If ever a word was discriminated against by the modern broadcasters and politically correct journalists it is the word SEX. A very short word. It is not even a four-letter word. It has an absolute meaning, which for whatever reason, is being usurped by a prattish lot of poseurs and pimping politicians. As the late Lord Hailsham said, "sex is what you are, either male or female, nothing more!".

But it does mean more. "Having sex" is a popular expression, or it was. By popular, I mean it was frequently used by many in the populace. A fairly meaningless piece of English but well understood by everyone. Sex became a dirty word. So dirty in fact that it could not be cleaned up to impress the new-fangled lot who now infect every inch of the airwaves with their newfound word "GENDER"!

Gender is a far better word for them. It has no foul connotations. Anyone heard of "having gender"? Try shoving that one into a Hollywood blockbuster. Sex is on a backburner wordwise. This morning on the Today Programme Evan Davis asked about gender as if six or seven varieties were a possible answer. And that is the thing. Gender is so maleable as a word, whereas sex is not. "I'm a lady, yes I am!" "Come on, sir, what's yer name?" "BRIAN!"

All government forms ask about gender. Sex appears nowhere. It has been expunged from the forms, only to appear in the nether regions of a rusting computer's database. The same happened to Christian names. My mother got the frosty reply, "well, not all people are Christians!" when she once had the temerity to enquire about that. I suppose I would get a similar response if I tried to solicit an answer about sex. "Well, not all people are having sex, sir". Quite!