Necessity of Practicing Inclusivity in Writing
Inclusive writing refers to paying attention to the ways that language can be, and has been, used to exclude people or groups of people. Words are indeed powerful, so we must always be considerate and mindful of the choice, presentation, and impact of our words on our readers.
Several things that we have been taught and have internalized are prejudiced, dismissive, and downright wrong and can affect our perception and expression.
Moving beyond habits and assumptions (even unintentional) that can harm, we can opt for language that covers many possibilities and accommodations. It then becomes possible to reduce the number of incidents where innocent communications end up being misconstrued, which leads to harmful and untoward consequences. Especially in a language like English (the focus of this article), there is huge scope for making progressive changes.
Building an inclusive vocabulary involves constant effort, digging deeper, questioning, and engaging. It might as well take us years for this colossal unlearning to overcome all the conditioning but what matters most is to make continuous efforts. And, the difference that can be brought about makes all these simple thoughtful efforts worthwhile.
It is not just about being cautious to be politically correct but it’s about showing respect for individual differences, cultures, and experiences. It honours the humanity of each person and recognizes that no person is more worthy than another. It opens a dialogue and helps to cultivate a valued and diverse community.
There’s no one unequivocally right selection that’s perfect for everyone universally in every period. Rather, the terms have different historical meanings and modern connotations. This article cannot even cover all the myriad ways in which one can be inclusive.
Here are some ways we can recognize and respect diversity:
Avoid Gendered Terminology
- Coded language subtly conveys a gender bias. Consider avoiding terms that have men or women embedded with them. Besides, the default is not male.
- We should get rid of false binaries, e.g., by using ‘everyone’ or ‘folks’ instead of ‘ladies and gentlemen/boys and girls.
Use Correct Pronouns
- We should never assume anybody’s gender. Using “she or he” or similar constructions can also inadvertently exclude people who do not refer to themselves using either pronoun. If we are unsure we should ask them their pronouns or use their name.
- “They / their /them” are also acceptable as gender-neutral singular pronouns.
Disability, Mental health, Neurodivergence
Ableist ideas and language often appear in our writing because these ideas circulate in our societies all the time. As we write, we must actively and intentionally be on the lookout for constructed ideas of normalcy, intelligence, and excellence.
- Avoid ableism. Most folks with disabilities do not want to be pitied so don’t use language such as “suffers from blindness” that connotes pity.
- Be respectful of one’s mental health. Avoid casually throwing around terms like ‘Psycho, OCD, Crazy’ as it contributes to trivializing mental illnesses and disability erasure.
- Steer clear of thoughtless ageism because it is demeaning, and infantilizes people.
- Think about the readability of your work. Some fonts are easier to read than others, simplifying language, add alt-text for images, and break up long paragraphs with bullets or dividing them into sections.
Derogatory terms
- Some offensive labels may be less obvious. We must not negate or dismiss people’s lived experiences, ordeals or alienate them altogether.
- Be mindful of the types of diversity (people’s race, ethnicity, national identity, religion, sexual orientation, and so on).
Other key aspects of inclusive writing
- Question assumptions, read widely, listen to those whose perspectives differ from your own.
- Consciously challenge your notions and internal biases. And, it’s not about memorizing a list of the perceived best terms.
- Envisioning your audience helps in every writing context, and revising critically with a focus.
- Seek feedback from external readers, especially those whose experiences differ from your own. Every mistake that we make is an opportunity to learn more.
- In almost no case is it acceptable to use an adjective to refer to a person or group of people (eg., the gays, the homeless).
- Write specifically and directly about the experiences of particular people or groups of people, rather than trying to put people in boxes and generalize across a wide swath of experiences.
- Not just choosing the right words, but the kinds of information writers include or omit can also convey their values and assumptions (eg. using the same kinds of information and descriptions when writing about people of different genders). So, what we focus on and omit also holds significance.
- Being inclusive helps make more effective arguments that will be persuasive to a wide variety of readers.
“Language is … the space where we must inscribe societal transformations,” — Raphaël Haddad, a linguist and founder of the communications agency Mots-Clés.
CONCLUSION
Being inclusive is basic decency, the bare minimum we can do, and hence should be our utmost responsibility. In our effort to educate and embrace, make everyone feel welcome and safe, we’re not policing language and free speech.
We must educate ourselves and others, make sure everyone is part of the conversation, and continue learning. For us, this might seem like a mere alteration in semantics. But for historically underrepresented and marginalized groups, it’s accordance of dignity.
Staying curious and open-minded will help us keep pace with language i.e., an ever-evolving entity that constantly matures across generations, cultures, politics, and geographies.
Changing the structure of a language might not bring immediate transformations and improve the status of the excluded and underserved communities, but it will surely lay the foundations to yield positive changes. True inclusion is when we empathize and celebrate the inherent value of our differences and give each person their rightful space.
References:
- https://www.uidaho.edu/brand-resource-center/print-digital-content/inclusive-writing-guide
- https://www.lib.sfu.ca/about/branches-depts/slc/writing/inclusive-antiracist-writing
- https://www.theatlantic.com/international/archive/2017/11/inclusive-writing-france-feminism/545048/
- https://writingcenter.unc.edu/tips-and-tools/gender-inclusive-language/
- https://uxdesign.cc/how-to-make-your-content-inclusive-and-why-its-important-cf9891b44dc0
- https://www.presence.io/blog/these-15-rules-will-help-you-start-building-an-inclusive-language-guide/
