RSS03.34 Words matter! How to use inclusive language

Language is not neutral – it has the power to offend or exclude people and even change how we perceive others. It’s up to us, language users, to achieve the opposite. By becoming aware of our pitfalls in language and how we can use it differently, we can achieve inclusive communication: language that does not offend or exclude people and reinforce stereotyping. In this workshop, we will discuss examples of pronoun use (he/she/they), gendered language (e.g. ‘to man up’ or ‘chairman’), othering (‘exotic foods’), and asymmetrical and stereotyping language (‘women are bossy, men are assertive’). You won't learn what you’re ‘not allowed to say’ anymore, but you will learn how you can change your words to achieve more inclusive communication. In addition, we will practice writing at a language level that does not exclude speakers with a lower language proficiency. By the end of the workshop, you will be aware of your own pitfalls and how you can avoid them, so your texts are more inclusive.

Please note that this workshop is delivered in English, but many principles of inclusive language can be applied to other languages.