The National Trust has been branded “patronising” after replacing the term “ethnic minority” with “global majority”.
Global majority is a collective term for non-white people who constitute up to 85 per cent of the world’s population.
It is sometimes used instead of “ethnic minority”, with the Government dropping the term BAME in 2022.
The National Trust made the change as it launched an inclusive walking project.
Announcing the change, the conservation charity said: “Despite representing 15 per cent of the population in England and Wales, people from the global majority are widely under-represented in the outdoors, accounting for only one per cent of National Park visitors in 2019.”
The National Trust claimed there is a “lack of representation” of ethnic minorities in the outdoors, “which leads to the feeling that they might not be welcome in outdoor spaces, as well as fear of discrimination and cultural differences”.
The Walk Together Pathway brings together representatives from Black Girls Hike, Black2Nature, Bristol Steppin Sistas, Mosaic Outdoors, Muslim Hikers, NYCE (Nature, Youth, Connection, and Education), Peak District Mosaic and Sheffield Environmental Movement.
The charity angered both members and the wider public over some of its controversial decisions in recent years.
It sparked outrage after releasing a report in 2021 linking former Prime Minister Winston Churchill to colonialism and slavery.
National Trust bosses were also accused of “dumbing down” by removing important items from display and turning historic homes into “theme parks” designed for children.
It was also criticised for asking volunteers at one of its 18th century palaces to wear face paint and glitter to mark Pride month.
Volunteers at Ickworth in Suffolk were encouraged in 2021 to dress in colourful clothes, don rainbow flowers in their hair, wear multi-coloured make up and have their face or body painted for work.
Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer defended the trust earlier this year, accusing the Tories of going to “war” with the charity.
Reform UK MP Lee Anderson, who previously served as deputy chairman of the Tory Party, was more scathing.
He insisted: “Brits expect the National Trust to protect our heritage, not lecture them on net zero.”
A spokesperson for the National Trust told the Telegraph: “The National Trust normally uses different language.
“However sometimes when sharing information about community groups, as we are on this occasion, we use the language that they feel is most appropriate.”
https://www.gbnews.com/news/national-trust-global-majority-ethnic-minority