Stonewall tries to BAN word 'MOTHER': Pro-trans organisation tells hundreds of public and private employers to say 'parent who has given birth' instead – sparking calls for inquiry into how group has such influence on Whitehall

• e-mail

Hundreds of organisations wanting to be included on Stonewall's equality leaderboard should replace the term 'mother' with 'parent who has given birth', the LGBT charity has said.

The controversial group has issued various guidance to employers wanting to make the cut on its Workplace Equality Index, which has attracted more than 500 applications in the last year.

A number of government departments, such as the Home Office, the Department for International Trade and the Ministry of Justice - ranked as high as fifth - feature on the list, as well as the likes of MI6 and the British Army. 

Stonewall says featuring on the Workplace Equality Index allows employers to understand their employees' experiences and shows commitment to LGBT equality.

Those achieving a coveted Top 100 spot, are then able to use the Top 100 Employers logo to promote their achievement.

The guidance includes urging employers to add gender pronouns to email signatures, outlawing single sex toilets and changing rooms, and running a rainbow laces campaign, the Telegraph reports.

Its latest advice, to ban the word 'mother' has sparked a backlash, however, with campaigners calling for an inquiry into how the group has had such an influence on Whitehall.

Hundreds of organisations wanting to be included on Stonewall's equality leaderboard should replace the term 'mother' with 'parent who has given birth', the LGBT charity has said

It comes after it was revealed earlier this week that the Equalities Minister Liz Truss wants the Government to quit a diversity scheme run by Stonewall amid a row over trans rights.

Miss Truss is said to be pushing for departments to join the Equality and Human Rights Commission (EHRC) and Acas in dropping the Diversity Champions scheme over fears it is not providing value for money.  

According to Stonewall there are more than 850 organisations, including 250 government departments and public bodies such as police forces, local councils and NHS trusts, signed up as 'diversity champions'.

Membership to the scheme starts at around £2,500, which according to the LGBT charity's website, buys employers access to expert advice and resources to make their workplaces 'inclusive'. 

However, the charity was embroiled in a new row over transgender rights last week, when its chief executive Nancy Kelley likened 'gender critical' beliefs to anti-Semitism as she defended its pro-trans campaigning.

After criticism from the gay former Conservative MP Matthew Parris, Ms Kelley told the BBC: 'With all beliefs including controversial beliefs there is a right to express those beliefs publicly and where they're harmful or damaging - whether it's anti-Semitic beliefs, gender critical beliefs, beliefs about disability - we have legal systems that are put in place for people who are harmed by that.' 

Meanwhile, the EHRC, Britain's equalities watchdog, then cut ties with a Stonewall scheme for 'woke' workplaces after claims that it curbs free speech among staff.

Its decision comes amid accusations the scheme is encouraging public bodies and firms to adopt policies that create a 'culture of fear' among workers who disagree with transgender ideology.

A letter to the feminist campaign group Sex Matters from new commission chairman Baroness Falkner revealed: 'We wrote to Stonewall in March to let them know that we would not be renewing our membership, and this has now expired.'

Now, documents seen by the Telegraph reveal the extent of the guidance Stonewall gives employers wanting to make its leaderboard.

Edinburgh University was discouraged from using the term 'mother', instead being told 'parent who has given birth' was more strongly recommended.

Similarly, Merseyside Police was told 'pregnant employee' was 'a more inclusive term', while the Welsh government removed 'mother' from its Maternity policy, even though 'father' still remains.   

Maya Forstater, co-founder of campaign group Sex Matters, told the paper: 'The Committee on Standards in Public Life [should] undertake a public inquiry as to how an organisation that is basically a lobby group got into such an influential position in so many institutions'.

Miss Truss is said to be pushing for departments to join the Equality and Human Rights Commission and Acas in dropping the Diversity Champions scheme over fears it is not providing value for money.

A spokesperson for feminist campaign group FiLiA told MailOnline: 'FiLiA recognises the impact that dehumanising 'gender neutral' terms such as 'pregnant person' or 'birthing parent' has on women and girls,

'The recent MOMA (Ministerial and other Maternity Allowances) Bill debate showed that Parliament would not allow the word 'mother' to be replaced, yet Stonewall continues to push organisations, including Government departments, to adopt these terms - again, not complying with the Equality Act 2010 but attempting to set the rules as Stonewall would prefer it to be. 

'Maternity and pregnancy is yet another protected characteristic that Stonewall have ignored in their pursuit of gender identity extremism. 

'We should have the words to talk about these characteristics, not least for those whom the English language is difficult. 

'We are extremely disappointed at the lack of critical thinking of the organisations opting into Stonewall's version of the law purely for the virtue signal of appearing on their 'Workplace Equality Index', and their lack of respect for women, and in particular pregnant women and mothers.' 

A Stonewall spokesperson said: 'All employers need to ensure that their staff, including LGBTQ+ staff, are free from discrimination and prejudice at work, and our Diversity Champions programme is one way for organisations to be supported to meet this requirement. 

'More than a third of LGBTQ+ staff (35 per cent) hide who they are at work, while one in five (18 per cent) have been the target of negative comments because they're LGBTQ+. 

'Since we set up the Diversity Champions programme in 2001, many large employers have developed major internal programmes to promote diversity and inclusion across their staff, including reviewing the LGBTQ+ inclusiveness of their HR policies and setting up LGBTQ+ staff networks, which make the workplace better for LGBTQ+ people. 

'We are confident in our advice on the Equality Act which is based the Equality and Human Rights Commission's Equality Act Code of Practice, which was recently reaffirmed in the High Court. 

'As with every membership programme, organisations come and go depending on what works best for them at the time, and it's great that organisations can continue this important work on their own. 

'We are pleased to say that our Diversity Champions programme is continuing to grow and take on new members, and we are very proud of the work we're doing with more than 850 organisations to help create inclusive working environments for their lesbian, gay, bi, trans and queer staff.'