As people who work with words for a living, charity communicators tend to be aware of the power they have. We know they trigger emotions, associations and judgements. We use them all the time to inspire people to take action. But we also know, or should do, that words can act as a barrier, preventing people from seeking our support, for example. They have a leading role to play in fuelling prejudice too.
“Language is power, life and the instrument of culture, the instrument of domination and liberation.”
Angela Carter, novelist
Language is constantly evolving to reflect changes in society, our shifting attitudes and social norms. As charity communicators, we have a responsibility to be one step ahead of this evolution. Together, the comms community can use the power of language to challenge and influence the way people think and act.
A good place to start is with developing some guidelines for colleagues on inclusive language. If you already have guidelines, have you reviewed and updated them recently?
Obviously, there’s no one-size-fits-all when it comes to the ‘right’ words to use to be inclusive. But, here are some tips and resources to help you and your teams come to a consensus on the language to choose for your organisation’s communications. Do remember to regularly review any guidance you produce.
Tips for developing inclusive writing guidelines
Work with the protected characteristics
Include guidance on writing about each of the nine protected characteristics stated in the Equality Act:
- age
- disability
- gender reassignment
- marriage and civil partnership
- pregnancy and maternity
- race
- religion or belief
- sex
- sexual orientation
There are plenty of other topics it would be helpful to offer language guidance on. Two essential ones are: ‘poverty and disadvantage’ and mental health.
Get other people involved
Developing inclusive language guidelines isn’t something to do alone. You’ll need to gather views and opinions from across your organisation and beyond. Consider setting up a small, cross-department working group, which includes people with direct experience of the issues you’re discussing. Perhaps each person can choose a protected characteristic to research? Ask them to share examples of how other organisations have worded things and why they think they do or don’t work. Use these discussions to draft guidelines for the group to review.
Expect to be challenged
Opinions will vary and some people will feel strongly about certain words or phrases, their associations and what is and isn’t offensive. Accept that you may not get the group to agree on everything.
Be specific
You’re providing guidelines, not an instruction manual. However, we all know how important it is to be consistent in our communications. So, as the author of the guidelines, you will need to decide on preferred terms to use when communicating on behalf of your charity. But, you can certainly acknowledge key differences of opinion in your guidelines. Detail is helpful, for example, you might want to specify whether you capitalise terms like ‘Black’ and ‘White’.
Check your knowledge
Get clued up on the link between language and attitudes. For example, the social and medical models of disability use different terms. Make sure you understand the origin of a word. Sometimes we use words without realising they originate from derogatory or racist language.
Where else can you go for the most up-to-date discussion?
Newspapers and established institutions tend to have comprehensive and regularly updated style guides, with sections on inclusive language – for example, the Guardian and Observer, BBC News, and the NHS.
Online forums, like the conscious language and design Facebook group are great places to find discussions. And, if you’re feeling robust, you might choose to ask for opinions about inclusive language on twitter.
Professional bodies, think tanks, campaigning organisations and campaigners’ social media. For example, keep an eye on the accounts of; Joseph Rowntree Foundation, inclusive communication consultant Ettie Bailey-King, and #CharitySoWhite.
Specific charities. For example, Mencap and Scope are helpful for guidance on disability and learning disabilities. Stonewall has guidance on LGBTQ+ language. And Mind has a style guide with information on writing about mental health.
Google “How to talk about…” ‘race’, ‘disability’, ‘trans rights’” etc, and read a cross-section of what comes up. And, we can’t stress this enough, do so with an incredibly discerning and critical eye. Remember also that accepted terminology in the US tends to be different to the UK.
Ask people. Host discussions with colleagues, peers, family, friends – and most importantly, the people your charity supports. You could do this through focus groups or online surveys, for example.
Be more than just words
#CharitySoWhite suggests you retire phrases like: “We encourage applications from diverse candidates”. Instead, focus on “actually creating workplaces that ‘diverse’ candidates are safe and comfortable to work in”. And, make sure you “recruit from the communities being worked with and value lived experience”. Read their full article on an antiracist charity sector.
Getting the words right is just a small part of being fair, equitable and inclusive. But it’s something our sector can take a collective responsibility for and help make things better for everyone.
Style guides and articles about inclusive language – a reading list:
- Sporting Equals BAME terminology survey statement
- #CharitySoWhite – How we talk about anti-racist work
- Scope’s End the Awkward campaign on ‘Talking about disability’
- Mind on writing about mental health
- Joseph Rowntree Foundation’s framing toolkit: talking about poverty
- United Nations’ guidelines for gender-inclusive language
- Fighting Talk’s 10 practical tips for LGBTQIA+ inclusive language
- Citizen’s Advice on religion or belief discrimination
- LSE’s blog on the difference between equity and equality
At the CharityComms Digital Conference (available on demand soon), we discussed how we can make our content more accessible which you may find useful.
Other blogs from our network:
- Using language to be an inclusive brand
- Equality, Diversity and Inclusion in charity branding
- Talking about inclusivity in comms
Banner Image: Karolina Grabowska on Pexels