AP apologizes for deeming term 'the French' as 'dehumanizing' with its latest inclusive language guidance

The Twitter account for the Associated Press apologized for a recent tweet suggesting that "the French" was a "dehumanizing" term, acknowledging that it "caused unintended offense."

The AP official account tweeted Friday morning, "The use of ‘the French’ in this tweet by @AP was inappropriate and has caused unintended offense.  An updated tweet is upcoming."

The original tweet that put the AP in hot water with social media users came from the @APStylebook account on Thursday. It suggested doing away with "dehumanizing ‘the’ labels," including "the poor" and, inexplicably, "the French."

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It read, "We recommend avoiding general and often dehumanizing ‘the’ labels such as the poor, the mentally ill, the French, the disabled, the college-educated. Instead, use wording such as people with mental illnesses. And use these descriptions only when clearly relevant."

This latest bit of language policing backfired on social media. Many users trashed the AP, with some of them noting that the stylebook’s post had insulted French people despite its intention to respect them.

Video game designer Jordan Mechner commented, "I wonder what people with French nationality, I mean, people who are from France and live there, or who live somewhere else but still identify with France, will make of this?"

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The tweet also invited third party mockery of "the French" which was clearly not AP’s intention. Joking about the people and the somewhat confusing language of the tweet in one fell swoop, Washington Examiner contributor Harry Khachatrian joked, "Unclear why it's preferable to refer to French people as ‘people with mental illnesses,’ rather than just calling them ‘The French.’"

As Fox News Digital mentioned Thursday, even the French Embassy in the U.S.’ official Twitter account dunked on the Associated Press for its Twitter blunder. It tweeted, "I guess this is us now…" and shared screenshot of its account name "French Embassy U.S." being changed to ‘Embassy of Frenchness in the US."

The intense mockery prompted the news agency to delete its tweet in addition to providing the apology. It then subsequently posted a revised version of its controversial post that omitted any reference to French people.

AP’s language suggestions have been the subject of Twitter mockery over the years. In 2021 the outlet was ridiculed over suggesting a more politically correct alternative to the word "mistress."

It stated, "Don't use the term mistress for a woman who is in a long-term sexual relationship with, and is financially supported by, a man who is married to someone else. Instead, use an alternative like companion, friend or lover on first reference and provide additional details later."

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