Cardiff University tells students to avoid saying ‘piece of cake’ as it’s ‘too British’

Cardiff Uni has told students to avoid saying “piece of cake” as it’s “too British”.

This comes as a number of phrases were recommended to be avoided in an Equality, Diversity and Inclusion (EDI) module for inclusive language at Cardiff University.

In a mandatory inclusive language class issued by EDI, undergraduate students were told that derogatory and sexist phrases such as “crazy”, “man up” and “like a girl” also ought to be avoided.

It was reported in the Daily Mail that terms such as “kill two bird with one stone”, “a piece of cake” and “break a leg” are also now considered “too British” and therefore harder to understand by other cultures, telling first year students that they should not use them.

Guidelines from EDI warned against the use of certain expressions because of their “origin story”. They also told students that comments showing any signs of bias or stereotyping, such as “everyone can succeed if you just work hard enough”, are considered “micro aggressions”.

As well as this, the module also involved a series of questions that score how privileged students are. After nine questions they were rated and scored on their privilege.

The EDI has recently had backlash over the contents of its programmes with many other UK institutions taking to abandoning them due to the number of complaints and the growing controversy.

The Cardiff University course has also raised concerns with campaigners over the erosion of free speech in Britain’s educational institutions.

According to the director of the Committee for Academic Freedom, Dr Edward Skidelsky, the EDI course at Cardiff University was “calculated to turn every casual conversation into a political minefield” adding that “it is not the job of universities to be policing the everyday language of their students”.

Most Read

This video of Lacey from MAFS and her mum at the club has leaked and I don’t know how to feel

The hardest Russell group unis to get into, based on offer rate – and it’s not just Oxbridge

Juicy details leaked about the Love Is Blind season eight reunion and it’s going to be feral

A spokesman for Cardiff University told The Cardiff Tab: “Our Equality, Diversity, and Inclusion Awareness module was created through the collaboration of EDI experts from our institution and students. The students significantly contributed to the co-design of the module and selected the language used, ensuring that it remains accessible, relevant, and engaging.

“This year, feedback from students revealed that 85 per cent rated the module as good to excellent, while 92 per cent felt the concepts were effectively explained. Furthermore, every student involved has the chance to provide feedback and suggest improvements to the content. The module establishes a strong foundation for incoming students to grasp key concepts such as unconscious bias, stereotypes, racism, and discrimination.”

“As a university, we take pride in our initiatives promoting equality, diversity, and inclusion. We aim to foster an environment where each community member feels they belong and can succeed. As an educational institution, we have a responsibility to inform our students of issues that impact them and the wider community. We promote stimulating discussions and debates, which are increasingly crucial in today’s society.”