South East Technological University (SETU) will no longer punish students or staff as having broken the law if they do not use the preferred pronouns of transgender persons.

It has dropped references in its updated gender identity policy which previously stated that refusal to use students’ or staff members’ preferred pronouns would amount to “unlawful discrimination or harassment”.

The policy sparked controversy when it was published last October, with one lecturer, Colette Colfer, stating that it was a misinterpretation of equality laws and could itself discriminate against those “who do not subscribe to gender identity theory”.

Colfer, a lecturer in world religions, said she welcomed the change.

SETU’s updated gender identity and expression policy now states that all staff and students are expected to avoid “unacceptable behaviours” such as, “repeatedly referring to a person by using names or pronouns with which they do not identify, in circumstances where the person has communicated their preference”.

It does not reference the refusal to use preferred pronouns as unlawful.