Sticks and stones may break my bones, but names will never hurt me.
I know my mother meant well when she taught me that little ditty, but even as a six-year-old, I knew it was twaddle. I’d take a swollen lip or black eye over being called ugly any day.
Because words can hurt. A lot.
As writers and creatives, we know our choice of language has the potential to humanize or harm others. Shanay Bell wrote a wonderful guest post about how we often inadvertently hurt people in our writing. For Pride Month, I’d like to delve a little deeper into what inclusive language looks like for the LGBTQIA+ community and why it’s crucial that we’re just as scrupulous about challenging and fixing the biases that seep into our work as we are with errant commas and misspelled words.
What is Inclusive Language?
Inclusive language seeks to avoid the use of certain expressions or words that discount, dismiss, erase, or exclude groups of people. It conveys respect, communicates using precise language, recognizes diversity, and involves continuous conversation and improvement. It also signals that your organization truly cares about the experience and safety of its employees and customers. Some inclusive and non-inclusive terms include:
Here are ways to use inclusive language with respect to the LGBTQIA+ community:
- Keep language gender neutral. This isn’t the logistical or grammatical nightmare that some folks pretend it to be, it’s simply considering all people when crafting communications.
- Respect and use a person’s pronouns. Give people the freedom to include their pronouns on bios, email signatures, and elsewhere. Respect and use the pronouns they provide. Also give people the space to not include their pronouns if they are uncomfortable with it.
- Give people the freedom to self-identify. You don’t get to decide someone else’s identity; they do. That’s what SELF-identify means.
- Call people what they want to be called. Again, this is simple human courtesy.
Want to learn more?
The Center for Equity, Gender & Leadership has a terrific publication, Understanding Inclusive Language: A Framework, that offers comprehensive guidance. Here are some key takeaways:
- Use metaphorical and other figurative language thoughtfully.
- Learn to distinguish borrowing terms from other languages from appropriating terms.
- Avoid language with harmful associations.
- Honor how people identify themselves.
- Understand inclusive language across different identities.
- Consider intersectionality.
- Work with others to adopt inclusive language.
By carefully using inclusive language in our communications, we can help create a culture that truly respects and humanizes everyone—not just during Pride Month, but every day that we practice our craft.
