Besparc Inclusive Language Principles

We created these principles based on experience, relationships, and study. We’re constantly learning, so please reach out if you have a suggestion.

Inclusive language uses careful word choice to:

Acknowledge the personal value of all individuals,
Include and empower all individuals, and
Remove potential barriers to communication.

Principle 1

Consider what is relevant to the text

Use personal pronouns, as well as individual, group, or subgroup attributes and characteristics only when relevant to the text.

Principle 2

Write from a person-forward perspective

When an individual is relevant to the text, lead with person and follow with your discriptor.

Use the most specific person word: an individual word before a subgroup word before a group word. For example, use “a person” before “an Oklahoman” before “an American”.
Prefer person-first language over identify-first language. However, the self-identification of your audience should lead your choice. For example, person-first language would include “people who are blind” and “people who are visually impaired”, while identity-first language would include “the blind”.
Use positive and active language. For example, use “survivor” instead of “victim”.
When describing an individual, avoid using actual or perceived stereotypes based on cultural groups or subgroups.

Principle 3

Identify the most specific subgroup

When a subgroup is relevant to the text, identify the smallest subgroup that shares every characteristic, experience, or data point discussed in the text.

For example, the group “Asian” is too broad for many situations. Find the subgroup that best fits your text. These are examples of subgroups: “people of Japanese heritage”, “residents of Japan”, or “citizens of Japan”.

Avoid stereotyping members of cultural groups or subgroups.
When the text clearly applies in the same degree to all subgroups, use the more general group words.
When the text applies in different degrees to one or more subgroups, use the most specific subgroup words applicable.

Principle 4

Use the least restrictive word

When a group is relevant to the text, use the least restrictive word that is applicable to the group. For example, “humankind” instead of “mankind”.

Principal 5

Attribute culturally significant words

When a culturally significant word is relevant to the text, meaningfully attribute the word to its cultural group or subgroup.

Avoid Appropriation

One type of cultural appropriation may occur when a writer uses a word that is significant to a cultural subgroup as shorthand to achieve a similar significance outside the context of that subgroup.

An example of appropriation might be: A writer uses the word “tribal” to mean “connectedness within a group” when the context is outside a subgroup in which the word “tribal” is culturally significant.

Embrace Meaningful Attribution

Meaningful attribution connects a culturally significant word to the culture of a subgroup in an identifiable way.

This example does not use meaningful attribution: “To improve equality and wellbeing across the nation, Americans can adopt hygge practices.”

However, this paragraph uses meaningful attribution to place the word “hygge” in its cultural context:

“The Danish word hygge can refer to relationships, activities, clothes, and more. Yet underneath all of the cozy, agreeable, and connected meanings, you find the Danish values of societal equality and wellbeing. In America we don’t have a single word that encompasses those values on a similar scale. Imagine if—even down to the sweaters we wear—we had a word that reminded us daily and through the generations to practice equality and wellbeing as individuals, in social groups, and as a nation.”

Principle 6

Adopt a culturally significant word as intended by its subgroup

A cultural subgroup may adopt words they want outsiders to use when discussing a matter related to the subgroup.

Unless clearly indicated otherwise, integrate adopted words as they become known.
Unless the word is widely recognized, define the term with its first use.

Principle 7

Limit words that negatively impact people

In selecting a word or phrase, consider its likely impact on both the reader and the subject of the text. Rephrase where a negative impact is obvious, likely, or in doubt.

Before using a word or phrase, consider its

Formal, informal, and colloquial (everyday and slang) meanings;
Historical and current usage; and
Different meanings among distinct cultural groups and dialects.

Use gender-neutral terms whenever applicable

Examples of gender-neutral terms include “sexual and reproductive health”, “humankind”, “Latinx”, “pregnant person”, and “parent”.
Restructure sentences to replace gendered or less inclusive language with neutral language. For example, change “the customer should receive his invoice in two weeks” to “the customer should receive an invoice in two weeks”.

Avoid using words for medical conditions or experiences in non-medical ways.

Avoid idioms like “blind leading the blind”.
Avoid medical words used as slang descriptors for behavior, people, and feelings. For example, avoid describing a person or their behavior as “bipolar”.

Avoid outdated terminology.

When discussing laws that use outdated terms, use an updated term if one is clear. To avoid confusion:

Introduce the updated term;
Define the updated term as having the same meaning as the outdated legal term;
Provide an endnote detailing the historical use of the updated term within the relevant body of law or industry; and
Acknowledge that the customer’s use of outdated or updated terms in their internal and external communications is the customer’s own business decision.

This practice might be appropriate when dealing with a law that uses the historically acceptable term “mentally retarded child” but a currently acceptable term is “child with developmental disabilities”.

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Rachele Kanigel (editor), The Diversity Style Guide: Helping media professionals write with accuracy and authority, (pub’d unknown, accessed 7/17/23). https://www.diversitystyleguide.com/

Vox Media, Digital Journalism Style Guide of Inclusive Language, “Language, Please” (pub’d unknown, accessed 7/17/23). https://languageplease.org/style-guide/

Brandeis University, Prevention, Advocacy & Resource Center, “Suggested Language List” (pub’d unknown, no longer updated or revised, accessed 7/17/23). https://sites.google.com/brandeis.edu/parcsuggestedlanguagelist/categories

National Assembly of State Arts Agencies (NASAA), “Inclusive Language Guide” (pub’d unknown, accessed 7/17/23). https://nasaa-arts.org/nasaa_research/inclusive-language-guide/