Language conveys meaning and when used well it creates a common understanding. Inclusive language seeks to treat all people with respect and dignity drawing everyone into the group and excluding no one. Here are some words that you might come across as you delve deeper into inclusive language. Our list isn’t exhaustive but should help you get started.
A
Ableism: How we think, feel and act in favor of able-bodied persons. Examples of ableism include, asking a disabled person what’s ‘wrong’ with them, overly praising for simple tasks or viewing as ‘inspirational’ for doing typical things. Ableism sets ‘normal’ as better than all others.
Ageism: Age is one of the first things we notice about others. Ageism refers to stereotypes, prejudices and discrimination against others or oneself based on age. Jokes and language are easy to recognise, eg crone, ‘over the hill’, fossil, going senile or having a ‘seniors moment’. Ageism is far more pervasive. Internalised ageism can affect how you see yourself and set the actions you take. Think about desire to look young, ‘forever young’. Laws and policies determine access based on age. For more information about ageism, its impact and what can be done, see WHO’s Global report on ageism (18/3/2021)
Ally: Someone who helps and supports other people who are part of a group that is treated unfairly although they are not a member of this group themselves. Allies acknowledge the disadvantage and oppression of other groups; use their privilege and power for the people they’re seeking to work with; give the floor to voices that are marginalised; and continually build their own knowledge and awareness of oppression. For more information about the practice of allyship, read The Anti-Oppression Network’s article ‘Allyship‘
Amplification: The act of publicly endorsing someone else’s contribution while giving them credit. This is a technique anyone can use to act as an ally. Boost the message of a member of a less dominant group by repeating what that person said and giving them credit for it. A simple way to do this is: If Carly shares an idea you can amplify Carly’s voice by saying, “Carly just said […]. I think that’s a great idea and we should consider it.”
B
BIPOC: Black, indigenous and People of Color (BIPOC) is used to describe a diverse group of people when you can’t be specific.
C
Cisgender: Individuals whose gender identity and expression line up with their birth-assigned sex.
Code switching: In strict linguistics, this refers to alternating between two or more languages in conversation. However, in the context of inclusive language when someone refers to code switching they’re more likely to be refering to how people change the way they express themselves culturally and linguistically. This could mean altering dialect, accent and how you interact. Learn more at The Conversation, “Code-switching: the pressure on people to change how they speak”.
D
Diversity: This is about the individual differences that makes each of us unique. Diversity extends beyond the differences we see (age, gender, ability/disability, ethnicity, race and religon) and includes a range of other factors that influence personal perspectives like: background, lived experience, beliefs, values, education, language, culture, nationality, skills, sexual orientation, social class, geographical location, parental status, marital status, income level, thinking, learning and behaving etc.
Dominant culture: The cultural beliefs, values, and traditions that are centered and dominant in society’s structures and practices. Dominant cultural practices are thought of as “normal” or perceived as “preferred” and right. As a result, diverse ways of life are often devalued and marginalized.
E
Equal opportunity means that every person can participate freely and equally in areas of public life such as in the workplace, in education, or in accessing goods and services without disadvantage or less favourable treatment due to their unique attributes.
G
Gender identity: A person’s perception of their gender, which may or may not correspond with their birth sex.
I
Implicit bias (or unconscious bias): The attitudes, stereotypes or opinions we possess that unconsciously affect our understanding, actions, and decisions. These biases are activated without an individual’s awareness or intentional control.
Impostor syndrome: This phrase is often used to express a constant fear of being exposed as a “fraud”. Research indicates members of underrepresented groups are more likely to be affected. However, this sense of being a fraud may be the result of not belonging or fitting the ‘norm’ in the group. This means Imposter Syndrome may be a reasonable reaction when a person’s confronted with systemic biases.
Inclusion: Inclusion is about giving people equal access and opportunities and getting rid of discrimination and intolerance (removal of barriers). Inclusive cultures make people feel safe, respected and valued for who they are and for their contributions toward organisational and societal goals.
Intersectionality: Describes the ways in which systems of inequality based on gender, race, ethnicity, sexual orientation, gender identity, disability, class and other forms of discrimination “intersect” to create unique dynamics and effects. The intersectional approach suggests that tackling disadvantage cannot be done in complete isolation from other forms of discrimination.
L
LGBTQIA: Acronym encompassing the diverse groups of lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, transsexual, queer, intersex and asexual populations and allies/alliances/associations.
M
Microaggression: Microaggressions are defined as the everyday, subtle put-downs or behaviors that communicate some sort of bias because the person belongs, or is perceived to belong, to a specific group. The person conveying the offensive remark may not even realise their act is a microaggression. Some microaggressions are framed as a ‘compliment’. Examples of microaggressions “When I look at you, I don’t see color”, “You don’t seem gay to mean”, “You don’t look disabled” etc.
N
Neurodiversity: Refers to an intrinsic diversity in human brain function and cognition. The idea is that there’s no “correct” way for the brain to work. Instead, there is a wide range of ways that people perceive and respond to the world, and these differences are to be embraced and encouraged.
Nonbinary: Any gender identity that does not fit the male and female binary.
P
Privilege: A right or advantage that only some people have access or availability to because of their social group membership.
Pronouns: A gender pronoun is a consciously chosen set of pronouns that allow a person to accurately represent their gender identity. People can have multiple sets of pronouns for themselves (such as using both he/him/his and they/them/theirs).
S
Sponsorship: An action that allies and those with privilege can take to advance the careers of members of marginalised groups. While mentors offer advice and support as needed, sponsors use their social capital and credibility to advocate for their protégés by promoting, protecting, preparing, and pushing them.
T
Tokenism: The practice of making only a symbolic effort to do a particular thing, for example including one or a few members of an underrepresented group in a team or company to create the appearance of equality or establishing policies without ensuring their implementation.
Tone policing: Tone policing is an oppression tactic used in arguments or discussions that focuses on the emotion behind a message rather than the message itself. An example is telling someone who is discussing an issue that makes them upset to “calm down” instead of responding to their concerns.
U
Underrepresented group: This terms describes any subset of a population that holds a smaller percentage within a significant subgroup than it holds in the general population. Women are often an underrepresented group in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics, or leadership positions for example.