Inclusive Language
What does inclusive language mean?
“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” (MLA Handbook 89).
Why is it important?
“Writers who strive for inclusivity in language recognize that their audience includes people who come from many different, and sometimes multiple, backgrounds and experiences” (89).
1. “Make references to identity relevant” (MLA Handbook 89).
- Consider whether the term is relevant to the context (89).
- Reword gender-specific terms for gender neutrality (89).
2. “Be precise” (90).
- Use the subject’s preferred term when possible (90).
- Avoid stating generalizations about group identities (90).
3. “Choose terms of identity that respect your subject” (90).
- People-first language vs. identity-first language (e.g., a person with depression vs. a depressed person)
- Use the expressed preferences of individuals or groups when known (90).
4. “Be thoughtful about capitalization and styling” (MLA Handbook 90).
- In general, capitalize terms that pertain to identity only if they’re proper nouns.
- “When there are both capitalized and lowercase options (e.g., black/Black), choose one and be consistent” (90).
- “Do not use quotation marks or italics around words used to define identity"(91).
5. “Minimize pronouns that exclude” (91).
- “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” (91).
- “Writers should follow the personal pronouns of individuals they write about, if
known” (92).
- Important considerations for using they
May be used in the singular as a person’s chosen pronoun
“Has gained acceptance as a generic, third-person singular pronoun used to refer to hypothetical or anonymous people” (92).
“Singular they can be used to refer to a specific person whose gender is unknown or not relevant to the context.
Bottom line: the use of singular they has become acceptable for “making language more inclusive because it helps writers avoid making or enabling assumptions about gender” (92).
- Consider avoiding the first-person plural (we and our) to avoid making
assumptions about a common culture or set of beliefs (92).
6. “Avoid negatively judging others’ experiences” (92).
- “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 ” (92).
7. “Check for offensive terms” (93).
- Language is always changing; words and expressions evolve over time (93).
- “Offensive terms that are featured in a work 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” (93)
- A dash can be added after the first letter of the word to avoid its written form (93).