How to be an inclusive communicator

You might not realize that some commonly used words can be alienating. Let me help you make your words more inclusive.

“Hello, guys” Hmm that doesn’t look ok. Let’s start over.“Hello, All” Much better.

This is a typical (and very common) example of non-inclusive language versus inclusive language!

Inclusive language is the recognition that words do matter and that word choice can be used, intentionally or unintentionally, to include or exclude others.

A couple of weeks ago, we put together a guide to Inclusive Language and Communications for Dialectica. The purpose of this exercise was to help our teams become better communicators. Given the tones of emails we are sending and the calls we are making every day, the importance of using inclusive language is imperative.

To be totally honest, during the whole process I had to pause many times to reflect on the language I am using in the workplace and beyond. There are so many things that we say or hear on a daily basis that are not considered to be inclusive. I gave you a simple example at the beginning of this article. Another very common example is the word “blacklist”. Please take a moment and reflect on this word. Basically, it links the word “black” with something that has a negative connotation. Instead of “blacklist” you can say “block list” or “deny list” Now, think of the term “master bedroom”. It’s very commonly used, isn’t it? The word “master” actually links back to the time of slavery in the United States when white male plantation owners were addressed in this manner. It also suggests that a master is a man. That’s why today, many real estate associations have since replaced the term “master bedroom” with “primary bedroom”.

Becoming a (better) inclusive communicator is not an easy-task or an overnight job. It takes time, persistence, patience and eagerness for self-improvement. However, as Communications professionals, it’s our duty to continuously improve on it and be an example to others. It’s also a crucial skill for this job! I’m very confident that having “Strong knowledge of inclusive language” will be among the prerequisites for all PR and Comms jobs in the coming years. Employers will be looking for professionals who can excel at inclusive language.

Do you feel that becoming a (better) inclusive communicator is the only way forward? If so, here are some questions to ask yourself. Use these before drafting a speech, sending an email, or making a presentation.

• “Am I making any assumptions for my audience?” Let’s say that you’re preparing a speech for an Investment Conference in London. Does the fact that the conference takes place in London make you think that everyone in attendance is of a certain religion or ethnicity? Or does the fact that the audience works in the financial sector, make you think that they are all of a certain gender, socioeconomic background, or even age? Now, spend time reworking all the things that might alienate individuals/groups or ignore diversity.
• “Do I use gender-specific pronouns and words?” Gender-specific pronouns and words are things like “He”, “She”, “Policeman”, “Policewoman”, “Manmade”, “Manpower’’, ‘’wife”, “husband”, among others. Use gender-specific pronouns and words only if you know unequivocally that your audience identifies as one or the other. Many people are adding their preferred pronouns to public profiles and email signatures to eliminate any confusion. Instead, you can use “they” (It’s my favorite word by far), “Police officer”, and “spouse or partner”.
• “Do I repeat any phrases, idioms, or expressions that offend any specific communities?” It’s mind-blowing how many idioms or phrases we use that have a controversial historical context. I mentioned two examples above (master bedroom and blacklist). You can also watch any TV show from the 80s or 90s and you will get the point. Here is a very interesting read about everyday words and phrases that have racist and/or offensive backgrounds. Have a look.

Extra tip: Try to always use person-first language.

PFL is a way of communicating that recognizes the person first and foremost as the primary reference and not their disability or condition. Simply put, it describes what a person has, not who a person is. For example, instead of saying “disabled person” and “wheelchair-bound”, say “person with a disability” and “person who uses a wheelchair”. Likewise, we don’t say “suffering from cancer” instead we say “people living with cancer”. Just focus on the person.

Last but not least, if you catch yourself saying a non-inclusive phrase or word (it’s not an easy task — it’s more of an ongoing journey), follow these steps:

• Acknowledge what you said and apologize to your audience
• Start what you were saying over
• Take a moment to reflect on what you said and why you said it
• Create a list of all the non-inclusive terms and practice

Personally, I’m struggling to remove the word “guys” from my vocabulary when I’m addressing a group of people. But I’m confident that I will get there.

Below I’m also sharing some interesting articles with specific examples. They are all worth a look.

• Inclusive Language Guide by the University of Manchester
• 5 Terms You Should Learn to Become a Better Ally, HBR
• The Power of Inclusive Language, Deloitte
• Toolbox for using gender-inclusive language in English by United Nations

Have you noticed any other commonly used non-inclusive terms? If so, leave a comment below 🙂

Let’s help each other embrace inclusivity and put it at the epicenter of our communications.

This blog is about PR, Marketing, and Branding within startups and international environments. In each blog post, we’ll be diving into specific topics or tech ecosystems with the help of local experts. My goal is to create a place for discussion and knowledge sharing with professionals from all over the world. Hopefully, this blog sparks new ideas and topics you can discuss with your colleagues.

I would love to hear your thoughts, feedback, and topic ideas. Feel free to reach out to me at hello@eleniaktypi.com