Inclusive Language: How to Communicate Without Offending

Do not highlight personal characteristics (disability, gender) if it is not relevant.

An effective inclusive communicator understands that an individual's personal characteristics (such as ethnicity, age, disability or gender) should only be mentioned if they are strictly relevant to the topic of the conversation.

Highlighting one of these characteristics unnecessarily is alienating.

For example, introducing a new team member as [John, our new accountant who is blind,] places inappropriate emphasis on his or her disability rather than his or her professional role.

This type of language, while not malicious in intent, can make the person feel defined by that one characteristic and encourages others to create unnecessary associations and biases.

Use gender-neutral terms.

To avoid assumptions and promote inclusion, it is critical to choose gender-neutral terms whenever possible, especially when a person's gender is unknown or irrelevant.

Instead of using the default masculine ([the employees]) or cumbersome constructions ([the employees]), inclusive alternatives such as [the staff,] [the team,] or [the staff members] can be used.

Likewise, if the gender of a future superior is not known, it is more appropriate to refer to that person using a neutral pronoun such as [they] rather than assuming [he or she].

Avoid assumptions about sexual orientation ([partner] rather than [spouse]).

The principle of not assuming extends to personal relationships as well.

A conscientious communicator never assumes a person's sexual orientation.

In practice, this means avoiding questions or comments that presuppose heterosexuality.

For example, instead of asking a colleague about his or her [boyfriend] or [wife,] it is much more respectful and inclusive to use the neutral term [partner] or [significant other.]

This small but significant adjustment in language creates an environment of safety and respect, demonstrating that we are thoughtful and considerate individuals who are attentive to diversity of experience.

The importance of context and respect for self-identification.

Finally, it is crucial to understand that language is dynamic and that context matters.

Some words may be considered offensive when used by someone outside a group, but may be used by members of that group themselves as a form of self-affirmation.

For this reason, the golden rule of inclusive language is respect for self-identification.

The most respectful way to refer to a person or group is to listen to and adopt the terms they themselves use to describe themselves.

When in doubt, the safest option is always to err on the side of caution, avoid any terms that may be historically offensive and opt for the most neutral and respectful language possible.

Summary

An inclusive communicator understands that personal characteristics (ethnicity, gender, disability) should only be mentioned if they are strictly relevant. Highlighting them unnecessarily is alienating and can make the person feel defined by that one characteristic.

To avoid assumptions, it is essential to choose gender-neutral terms whenever possible. Instead of [the employees,] alternatives such as [the staff] or [the team] can be used, especially when gender is unknown or irrelevant.

The golden rule of inclusive language is respect for self-identification. The most respectful way to refer to a person or group is to listen to and adopt the terms they themselves use to describe themselves.