There is a new word that must not be said. Saying it is a sure way to find yourself cuffed and beaten by the political correctness police.
THE FORBIDDEN AND HURTFUL WORD IS 'CYCLIST'.
Yes, as in the person who is riding a bike. A group of "experts" feel that the word 'cyclist' dehumanizes people who ride bicycles. According to the Daily Mail , a Queensland University of Technology professor says most people don't think of 'cyclists' as human. Seriously.
In their research, they found 55% of non-cyclists they surveyed didn't consider cyclist as human. ?????
Professor Narelle Haworth wants people to stop using the word “cyclist,” and instead use the much clumsier “people on bikes.”
“We need to spread the idea that those people [cyclists] could be any of us,” Haworth blabbed on to Daily Mail Australia. “There is need to grow a culture of mutual respect for people on bikes.”
The research, in it's defense, found that people in Australia are kinda mean to "people on bikes".
But even if that's the case, that's how you solve the problem? You stop using the word 'cyclist'?!
Just as a reminder, the people in the picture below ARE HUMAN. They are not 'cyclists'.