There’s a new word doing the rounds… ‘Christianphobia.’ And the right accuses us ‘woke lefties’ of misusing language to manipulate discourse.
There’s a new word doing the rounds… ‘Christianphobia.’ And the right accuses us ‘woke lefties’ of misusing language to manipulate discourse.
Enter Dr Gavin Ashenden, former chaplain to the Queen, and a regular on GB News, who once suggested Prince William should abdicate if he can’t tolerate the Church of England.
Now, he’s accusing a primary school in Hampshire of ‘Christianphobia.’
The school’s crime? Cancelling Easter celebrations to ‘respect diverse religious beliefs.’
Right on cue, with another Christian holiday approaching, the right-wing media is fervently scanning the country – particularly schools – for any sign of ‘anti-Christian sentiment,’ or, as they now call it, ‘Christianphobia.’
The latest target is Norwood Primary School, which informed parents there would be no Easter Bonnet Parade or Easter Service this year.
Headteacher Stephanie Mander explained the decision was made to promote inclusivity.
“By not holding specific religious celebrations, we aim to create a more inclusive atmosphere that honours and respects the beliefs of all our children and their families,” she said.
But, of course, this logic doesn’t sit well with the outrage factory of the right. GB News jumped on the story, decrying the decision as one that “sparked controversy,” with some even speculating that Christmas would be next. Really? We’re still recovering from last Christmas’s exaggerated ‘cancelling’ hysteria perpetuated by the right-wing press.
On GB News, Dr Ashenden derided the school’s decision. In his view, the school isn’t promoting diversity, it’s excluding Christianity.
“Easter is a lovely thing to have. Easter Bunnies are fun. The Easter story reminds people and teaches children there’s point in life, they’re loved and there is life after death. That’s worth hearing about,” he said.
And here it is again – that same old tired critique – ‘common sense.’ Dr Ashenden described the headteacher’s decision as ‘incompetent,’ suggesting she needed to be retrained in common sense.
As we’ve seen time and time again on Right-Wing Watch, the perpetual appeal to common sense is a convenient excuse for the right to shut down any progressive or inclusive measures they don’t agree with.
Unsurprisingly, GB News revelled in the controversy, reporting that the decision led to a protest being planned outside the school. A Christian group, ominously named the Disciples of Christ, announced a protest for April 3, calling the decision an “attack on Christianity.”
Only at the very end did the report mention that the school wasn’t eliminating Easter altogether, as it’s still being observed educationally.
“Children continue to learn about and celebrate Easter both in our RE lessons and in our assemblies across the whole half term,” Mander explained.
But for the right, inclusivity is somehow a threat to their version of Christianity – one that seems to forget the core message of ‘love thy neighbour.’
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