Debate contribution: Inclusive Language Guide
Debate contribution by Mr Gordon Lyons on .
- MLA
- Mr Gordon Lyons
- Party at the time
- Democratic Unionist Party
- Date
- 4 November 2024
- Type
- Debate contribution (made as a minister)
- Business
- Oral Answers to Questions
- Heading
- Inclusive Language Guide
- Assembly identifier
- Official Report component 4625801
Read the official Assembly record
Text
I certainly will not be encouraging civil servants in my Department to pay too much attention to it, but the intention of it is to make sure that we treat people in the right way. I think that we should use our common sense, and I believe that we should treat other people as we would want to be treated. I think that that is a much better way to go forward than being condemned for using phrases such as "ladies and gentlemen".
83 words. Text as published by the Northern Ireland Assembly.
Assessment
Jev’s structured answers met the documented threshold for “not flagged”.
- Overall probability that the activity is being used to promote, exploit or escalate an identity-based controversy: 0.33 (flagging needs at least 0.70; at or below 0.30 is not flagged).
- None of the five culture-war criteria was met (each was below 0.60).
- No identity-based framing was identified (0.75).
- Subject area: Sexism, misogyny, ageism and other equality groups.
- The overall probability was low and the text did not adopt any identity-based framing.
This is an AI-generated assessment of the text, made against published criteria. It is not a finding of fact about the MLA or their intentions. The Assembly record itself is the fact.
Jev’s structured answers
| Question | Probability | Met? |
|---|---|---|
| Identity framing | 0.37 | No |
| Sectarian or communal antagonism | 0.04 | No |
| Cultural grievance politics | 0.46 | No |
| Dog-whistle messaging | 0.20 | No |
| Controversy escalation | 0.56 | No |
| Legitimate policy scrutiny | 0.17 | No |
| Overall judgement | 0.33 | Between thresholds |
| Option | Probability |
|---|---|
| No identity-based framing (chosen) | 0.75 |
| Reports or questions it | 0.03 |
| Criticises or condemns it | 0.15 |
| Adopts it | 0.07 |
| Subject | Probability |
|---|---|
| Sexism, misogyny, ageism and other equality groups | 0.49 |
| Irish language, Ulster-Scots and language policy | 0.30 |
| Gender, sexuality, abortion and related social issues | 0.20 |
| No identity-related subject | 0.01 |
| Flags, emblems, symbols, names and memorials | 0.00 |
Assessed 21 October 2026 at 11:28 UTC by jev-1.13.0 (requested as typesafe/jev) under rubric 2026.10-r9, methodology 1.9.
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