Writing about Marginalized Communities

A list of resources for best practices for students and scholars writing about marginalized communities.  In progress

If you have any additional resources to add, or if you notice any of the links are dead, please let me know: michael@mlaustin.com

A few important notes: 

• It is important to keep in mind that terminology and the ways in which people wish to be referred varies widely among groups of people and individuals within a group, and these wishes can change over time (sometimes rather quickly). 

• Always respect the wishes of someone from a marginalized group and refer to them the way they wish to be referred, even if you think it is "wrong;" the needs and desires of marginalized communities and the ways in which they want people to write about them always outweigh "proper grammar," tradition, institutionalized thinking and practices, etc. 

• Individuals do not represent entire groups, so even if you know, speak to, or read about individuals that do not mind out-of-date or harmful language and labels, it does not mean that it is polite, respectful, or healthy to use those terms to refer to anyone else in that group (or the entire group).

• "Nothing about us without us": Members of marginalized communities are almost always the best sources to cite on matters that affect that particular community, so be mindful to cite members of these communities when writing about them and the issues they face. Because of their marginalization, this may mean that this information might not be as readily available in traditional, academic sources, so do not be afraid to cite sources from reputable journalism, websites and blogs written by community members, etc. 

• If there is any discrepancy regarding which terminology/labels you should use, always defer to members of the community. 

• When citing current or historical sources with problematic language, it is important to problematize this language either directly in the body of your writing or at least as a footnote, not as a means to shame someone who many not have known better (especially if the term is simply outdated and not necessarily hateful), but rather, as a way to encourage further learning and accountability. 

• Consider the damage that may be done by perpetuating hateful and/or outdated language before citing it. Can you still make your point without spreading harmful language even further. If including this language is actually germane to your writing and crucial for your argument, you may consider including a warning of some type or censoring the language in question in some way so as to prevent further harm to the communities about which you are writing. 

• Never "out" someone in your writing; only refer to someone as a member of a marginalized community if:

  • It is relevant to your writing - if what you are writing has nothing to do with someone's identity, ask yourself whether or not it is even worth mentioning at all (hint: it's usually not); there is, however, a difference when mentioning someone's identity as a way to bring recognition to overlooked groups that have often been excluded in a particular academic discourse.

  • You are confident the person in question a member of the community in question (ideally through first-hand accounts); never presume that someone is a member of a particular community based on the way they look, dress, talk, act, etc.

  • You are confident the person in question is happy for this information about their identity to be public knowledge. Remember that in many parts of the world - including many places within the United States - people can still lose their jobs, homes, and even their lives if information about some parts of their identity becomes public. 

• Be mindful that some identities are more visable than others. 

• Consider your word choices so as not to unnecessarily problematize or call into question someone's identity, give the impression that someone's identity is not "natural" or "healthy," or that someone's identity is somehow a preference or a choice. Although someone can make choices about the ways in which they express facets of their identity, someone's race, gender, and/or sexuality are not matters of preference. 

Many of the resources in this list are stylebooks for use by journalists covering marginalized communities and the issues they face; although these stylebooks are not necessarily for scholars, the information included in them is both relevant and applicable in academic settings (and likely relatively up-to-date and endorsed by community members).