Bank of England Drops Use of Word ‘Purdah’ on Gender Grounds

(Bloomberg) --

The Bank of England has dropped the use of the word “purdah” to signify its quiet period due to concerns over the term's gender connotations.

“Purdah” is still commonly used in U.K. politics to describe a period of communication restrictions before an election on the grounds of political impartiality, but is deemed offensive by some as the word originates from the controversial religious and social practice of female seclusion in some cultures. Women's Equality Party campaigner Harini Iyengar told the Metro Newspaper Wednesday that the phrase is “sexist, racist and offensive.”

A spokesman for the three-century old central bank said it is now using the phrase “quiet period” instead. By ending their use of the word the BOE is moving in line with the European Central Bank, which switched in 2014 due to “its outdated gender connotations.”

BOE Governor Mark Carney and his colleagues are set to speak at a press conference tomorrow following the publication of the Monetary Policy Report, and will then enter a quiet period until the Dec. 12 election.

To contact the reporter on this story: Lucy Meakin in London at lmeakin1@bloomberg.net

To contact the editors responsible for this story: Paul Gordon at pgordon6@bloomberg.net, David Goodman, Andrew Atkinson

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