Inclusive language aims to be respectful to others by treating language describing individual and group identity with sensitivity and by avoiding bias that could make some people feel excluded. Writers who strive for inclusivity in language recognize that their audience includes people who come from different, and sometimes multiple (i.e., intersectional), backgrounds and experiences.
The following principles are intended to help writers choose inclusive language with regard to race and ethnicity, religion, gender, sexual orientation, ability, age, and economic or social status. These guidelines are necessarily generalized; writers should exercise judgment in choosing inclusive language and consider the particular context and audience they are writing for.
Consider whether terms that specify a subject's ethnicity, religion, gender, sexual orientation, disability, age, or economic or social status are meaningful to the context, because including such information (e.g., African American congresswoman, female conductor, transgender actor) may imply that this characteristic places the subject outside the norm. Many gender-specific terms can be reworded for gender neutrality: for example, human-made can be used in place of man-made. Avoid using man to mean human begins, humankind, humanity, or people. Gender-specific terms that refer to persons of known gender may be appropriate--for example, an individual might identify as Latino or Latina--but a nonspecific term, such as Latinx, is a more inclusive way to describe a person of unknown gender or a population of mixed genders. Avoid using gender-specific terms (e.g., poetess, policeman) to refer to people.
Broad terms applied to diverse populations may require more specificity. For example, terms such as the Muslim community and Native American language incorrectly conflate diverse populations and traditions; be specific and, if possible, use the subject's preferred term: for example, Sunni Muslims in India and Chinookan languages. To avoid perpetuating stereotypes, refrain from making generalizations about group identities. Try recasting a statement such as Jews believe to A Jewish belief is . . . or specify the Jewish community you are referring to. Avoid generalizations, too, that assume readers share your understanding of what concepts or texts are referred to by religious terms (e.g., God, scripture).
When you use people-first language (e.g., a person with diabetes, a person on probation, a person with autism) the subject is not defined first of all by a single aspect of their experience. When you use identity-first language (e.g., a queer person, an autistic person), the identity is the focus. Identity-first language is preferred by some individuals or groups opting to claim or choose the identity. Both people-first language and identity-first language are generally considered valid approaches, but your choices should always reflect the expressed preferences of individuals or groups when those preferences are known.
The dictionary includes many terms that denote identity, generally capitalizing them only if they derive from proper nouns (e.g., Egyptian, Mormon, but bisexual, retiree). When the dictionary gives both the capitalized and lowercased form as acceptable options--as many do for black and Black, for example--choose one and be consistent. If you are working directly with an author or discussing a person or community whose preferences are known, however, follow that preference. For example, some writers use Deaf to refer to the Deaf community and Deaf culture but deaf to refer to hearing loss, and individuals who strongly identify as culturally Deaf may prefer Deaf.
Avoid language or punctuation that undermines a subject's identity: do not place quotations marks around or italicize words used to define a person's or group's identity or to indicate a transgender person's chosen name or pronoun, even when those terms are neologisms--that is, terms that do not yet appear in the dictionary.
Writers wishing to use inclusive pronouns sometimes use both feminine and masculine pronouns, use only feminine pronouns, or alternate between feminine and masculine pronouns.
When a student studies abroad, his or her communication skills in the target language are likely to improve dramatically, especially if he or she avoids speaking English with other students.
A revision that recasts the subject as plural or that eliminates the pronoun is often the best solution for expressing an idea or action in which sex or gender is not relevant or for avoiding the assumption that all individuals identify as male or female.
When students study abroad, their communication skills in the target language are likely to improve dramatically, especially if they avoid speaking English with other students.
Studying abroad can help students dramatically improve their communication skills in the target language, especially if speaking English with other students is avoided.
Writers who wish to use a non-gender-specific pronoun to refer to themselves may prefer they and their (or a neologism like hir). Likewise, writers should follow the personal pronoun of individuals they write about if individuals' pronouns are known. They may be used in a singular sense as a person's chosen pronoun.
Jules is writing their research paper on Jane Austen's Persuasion.
In addition to this use of they to refer to specific individuals, they has gained acceptance as a generic, third-person singular pronoun used to refer to hypothetical or anonymous people.
Each taxpayer must file their tax return by 15 April.
Singular they can be used to refer to a specific person whose gender is unknown or not relevant to the context.
I am impressed by the resume of T. C. Blake, a candidate for the web developer job, and will schedule an interview with them.
In formal writing, the use of singular they has been considered a less desirable option than revising to plural constructions or rephrasing without pronouns. But it has emerged as a tool for making language more inclusive because it helps writers avoid making or enabling assumptions about gender.
Be wary of making assumptions about your audience, and do not assume that your audience shares you own identity, background, geographic location, culture, or beliefs. Language such as in our society intergenerational households are no longer common and we value free-market economics above all assumes a common culture or set of shared beliefs. For this reason, consider avoiding the first-person plural (we and our) in your writing. If you do use we and our, ask yourself whether your language makes it clear who is included and whether any readers are excluded.
When writing about a person who has a disability or health condition or who has experienced trauma, avoid descriptions like suffers from, afflicted with, prisoner of, or victim of. Although appropriate in some contexts, such language can evoke emotions or imagery that may not be accurate. For example, a person who uses a wheelchair should not be described as wheelchair-bound or confined to a wheelchair, because such statements make assumptions about the person's experiences.
If you're uncertain about using a term, first look in a recent dictionary. A good, up-to-date dictionary will note when a term is considered offensive or questionable. (Keep in mind that language is constantly changing; the connotations of words and phrases shift over time.) Offensive terms that feature in a work you are discussing should never be repeated as your own words and, when quoted from a source, may merit a note to indicate that the term is offensive. You can also add a dash after the first letter of a term to avoid reproducing it fully. A respectful alternative may be available for use in the discussion (e.g., if you quote from historical documents referring to a "Gypsy," you can use Rom in your prose).