Christmas Banned in Europe
How an Italian Newspaper embraces the Darkest Religious Extremism
One cannot help but be amazed by the wave of destructive comments surrounding a European Commission document that aims to provide internal staff guidelines for adopting more inclusive communication. This reflects a society that is more open and more aware than that of 50 or 100 years ago. A society that, hopefully, has learned and continues to learn that the language we use defines us, but often contains potential for violence and abuse.
Comments on 𝕏 and other social media, even from apparently moderate individuals, have been disastrous. They emerged following an article published in Il Giornale, an Italian newspaper, on Sunday, 28 November 2021, featuring the title: Saying CHRISTMAS and even being named Maria is forbidden in Europe. It is a demagogic text that manipulates the Commission's document and twists it into activism worthy of the darkest religious extremism.
The claims in that article misrepresent the context of reference and have become pills for reactionary disinformation. Disinformation that loves to proliferate in the murky waters of social media.
The Document
The European Commission document (meanwhile updated) is, in our view, an extremely positive, forward-thinking, and democratic manual. It contains a great lesson on the theme of inclusion, and we recommend reading it thoroughly.
Reading it, one understands that the aversion created in the article and on social media is caused by two factors: ignorance (the non-comprehension of the text written in English) and abuse, an interpretative manipulation driven by the desire to bend it to one's own purposes, namely to propagandize against the European Union and against modern, secular, democratic thinking based on equality in diversity.
To illustrate this misinterpretation, it suffices to give an example of how the original European Commission text has been transformed and adulterated by the aforementioned article. The headline Saying Christmas and even being named Maria is forbidden in Europe contains at least four errors, or rather: lies.
'...in Europe': the document in question is titled 'European Commission Guidelines for Inclusive Communication'. This is an internal document, meaning these guidelines concern internal and external communication by European Commission staff members. In the introduction, it specifically states: 'The purpose of this document is to create standards for inclusive communication and to provide practical examples and advice to all Commission colleagues.'
'...is forbidden...': the document does not mention any prohibitions; these are guidelines for staff members.
'...saying Christmas...': on page 19 the document states 'Avoid assuming that everyone is Christian. Not all people celebrate Christian holidays, and not all Christians celebrate them on the same days. Be sensitive about the fact that people have different religious traditions and calendars.'
'...and even being named Maria’: The document, also on page 19, states: Do not only choose names that are typically from one religion. It continues by explaining that phrases like Maria and John are an international couple should be avoided, as they can be replaced with Malika and Julio are an international couple. It is therefore an intentional falsehood to claim that according to the guidelines, it would be forbidden to be named Maria. The document neither states nor implies this in any context.
The Power of Language
The fact that such a blind, seemingly senseless, strong and destructive protest has formed against what are actually open and inclusive guidelines demonstrates the intrinsic power of language. This protest implicitly recognizes that inclusive language removes power from stereotypes, racism, supremacy, and religions. And, deep down, there is fear that this linguistic revolution might remove power from all those institutional and traditional forms of culture and society, whose foundations rest upon antagonisms and oppositions. These include the chasm between rich and poor people, discrimination against LGBTQI+ people, inequality between women and men, etc.
It is no coincidence that the most institutional forms (such as certain traditionalist factions of the Catholic Church) are shouting against this linguistic reform, together with the chorus of right-wing populists.
If language changes, traditional and institutional forms of society lose their power because their power rests upon language.
Indeed, the European Commission Document aims to promote inclusive language, which is the opposite of the divisive and discriminatory propaganda of all reactionary and traditionalist entrenchments. Not surprisingly, Helena Dalli, Commissioner for Equality, states: we must modify our use of language (...) critically, in terms of representing diversity, and the way in which different groups are portrayed. These guidelines aim to achieve exactly this purpose.
Rethinking the World
In our view, it is correct in official language to rethink the term baptismal name. First and foremost because we are no longer in the Middle Ages, when the Catholic Church still had the power to make the faithful believe that if their children died unbaptized, they would go directly to purgatory (which wasn't even true because until 2007, the unbaptized went to limbo). The expression baptismal name, although it has been in use for hundreds of years, today (in the language of an official body) no longer has reason to exist. Rightfully, those who are not baptized do not have a baptismal name and should draw a line instead of putting their first name.
United in Diversity
Clearly, the wave of indignation that the article in Il Giornale has aroused has nothing to do with journalism. The entire matter would be negligible, these lies had remained confined to the Italian newspaper and had not proliferated in a media explosion online. Instead, unfortunately, they seem to have become the truth. Just as in the United States, Donald Trump's lies about alleged fraud in the counting of the presidential election of 2020 have become truth.
Words have power, we must be aware of this and must take care of them, with transparency, but also with strength and determination. Replace the diminutive Miss with Mrs, confine religions and their expressions to the private world only.
As Helena Dalli, Commissioner for Equality of the European Commission, states: We must (the EC) provide inclusive communication at all times, and thus ensure that everyone is valued and recognized in all our materials, regardless of their sex, ethnic origin, religion or belief, disability, age or sexual orientation. This is what truly means United in Diversity.
This must be the new way, not only linguistic but also behavioural: we must be united in diversity, and we must work to promote this new way, rather than obscuring and destroying it (intending to keep old power structures alive).
Our social and cultural evolution depends on it.
Change My Mind!
This article was first published (in Italian) on the Radiotelevisione della Svizzera Italiana website on 20 December 2021, updated on 31 August 2023, and translated into English and reviewed on 16 December 2024.