Fury as Newcastle University urges staff to drop the Geordie nickname ‘pet’ and even the word ‘bossy’ because they’re ‘sexist’ – with locals slamming the call ‘totally stupid’ [Video]

12:12 EDT 20 Aug 2024, updated 17:59 EDT 20 Aug 2024

Geordies have slammed Newcastle University for urging researchers to bid ‘Auf Wiedersehen, Pet’ after bosses deemed the slang term sexist.

Diversity chiefs labelled the Tyneside lingo ‘patronising’ in an equality and inclusion toolkit issued to researchers.

Their seven-page guide instructs readers to ‘avoid… terms, such as girls, pet, or ladies’ and asks that groups are referred to as ‘friends or colleagues’ instead.

The advice appears in a section named ‘Talking about Gender‘ which says: ‘Sexism can often be subtle in conversations, and we can all be guilty of it without realising.’

Paul Thorne, 52, a hospital worker in the city said the move was ‘totally stupid’.