What is inclusive communication?
Communicating inclusively means considering the other person in your use of language. It means trying to not stereotype or offend, and taking into account the other person's situation, feelings, and background. This goes beyond just gender; it's about intersectional thinking, which means taking into account not just one, but as many aspects of diversity as possible. Not only do you try to communicate in a gender-neutral way, you also take into account, for example, that a word like ‘low-educated’ can be stigmatising, that not everyone understands technical jargon, and that some words have a fraught history.
Practical examples
Unfortunately, this kind of inclusive communication is far from being the default everywhere. Myrte: “Official government letters, for example, still often use complicated language. Take this sentence from a letter from a municipal council: ‘The municipal council wishes to optimise social cohesion in the city and increase the participation rate of residents.’ The majority of the Dutch population will not understand what is meant by this. This is therefore not very inclusive, since it excludes people at the language level.”
An example of an organisation that consciously communicates inclusively is NS, says Laura: “They've switched to ‘Dear travellers’ instead of ‘Ladies and gentlemen’. Some people had to get used to it at first, but this allows NS to appeal to a wider section of society, try not to exclude anyone, and harm no one. And that's what it's all about,” says Laura.
"Language is not neutral. It defines how we see reality"
Why is inclusive communication so important?
Language creates reality. In the words of Desmond Tutu: “Language is very powerful. Language does not just describe reality. Language creates the reality it describes.” Myrte and Laura couldn't agree more. “People often think that language is neutral, but it's not,” Myrte explains. “It defines how we see reality. Just look at framing in headlines. A ‘wave of migrants’ implies that a disaster is upon us; after all, a big wave is a natural disaster. While this is actually a consequence of poor management.” Laura adds: “By communicating more inclusively, we can contribute to a more inclusive world where our differences are no longer penalised, but rather accepted and valued.”
More than ticking boxes
According to Myrte, there is a danger of ‘tick-boxing’. A company or person thinks they are being inclusive, for example, when they stop using certain words. You tick the box, and you're done. “The desire to be inclusive may be there, but the necessary knowledge to do it right is lacking. And ultimately, that doesn't work. Which is a shame,” says Myrte.
Laura also indicates that inclusion is an ongoing process: “As an organisation, it's something you have to be constantly aware of. It's essential to be prepared to be flexible and to have the will to change things where necessary. What you see, for example, is that when it comes to job applications, organisations try to be inclusive in how they draft their vacancy texts, but at the same time, they are - usually unconsciously - looking for a copy of the colleague who is leaving, or other members of the team. That is not how you make your team more diverse. It’s good to be aware of this if you really want to make a difference. We do see that more and more organisations want to get it right and we’re happy to help them do so.”