Incredible video explains how Bake Off is actually a masterclass in inclusive language
Mary Berry may have left the Great British Bake Off but her spirit lives on (YouTube/Kyle Getz)
A queer TikTok star gave a wholesome masterclass in how easy it is to use inclusive language everyday.
Non-binary TikToker @notjoshingwithyou started the video armed with colourful pronoun-themed statement earrings, beautiful pink hair and an artful winged eyeliner. Just a gorgeous way to start an eloquent conversation about inclusivity on the internet.
In a lightbulb moment, he pointed out how frequently gender is mentioned in everyday life and how small tweaks to language usage can go a long way to respect non-binary individuals. One perfect example, they pointed out, can be seen in an unexpected place – Great British Bake Off.
“Have you ever noticed when you’re watching the Great British Bake Off they refer to the contestants as bakers?” NOTJoshingWithYou asked. Now that he mentioned it, yeah they do.
@notjoshingwithyou scientists, swimmers, climbers. Easy way to avoid gendered Lang. #genderinclusive #genderinclusivelanguage #nonbinary #enby #learnontitkok #LGBTQIA
They asserted the move was to ensure that all contestants felt respected and can be replicated in other aspects of life.
“So instead of gendering people when we’re addressing a big group, we can take the activity and call them by that,” the TikToker explained. “If you’re a teacher, all of the sudden, you have readers and writers instead of boys and girls.”
His simple yet powerful tip on using more gender-neutral language won over the internet, gathering over 540,900 views and thousands of likes on TikTok.
Several users on the video-sharing platform even offered more tips and examples on how they were using gender-inclusive language in their everyday lives.
One person shared that a “lecturer in college” would refer to students as “sports fans” instead of using gendered language.
“Like it’s not accurate, but it’s def inclusive,” they joked, adding a face with tears of joy emoji.
Another person wrote that they worked in a theatre, and their boss would address a big group of people as “friends of the arts” which NOTJoshingWithYou said was very “sweet”.
Someone else pointed out in the comments how another competition series, Project Runway, also used gender-inclusive language. Tim Gunn was known for his catchphrase “make it work” on the show and would often refer to the collective of contestants simply as “designers”.
