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(DON'T LET THE TIMES MOVE ON WITHOUT YOU.)

"We don't really say that anymore."

Using a dated or now-offensive term can cause even the best leaders to come across as less than kind, effective, or "with-it." ​

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To support inclusive leaders, the American Association of Corporate Gender Strategy has launched two tools (below), both community created, advocate tested, and ever-evolving.

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BETTER words for the modern American workplace

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Gender

Via Emily Howe, corporategender.org

NOT FOR PROFESSIONAL USE

Avoid to remain kind and inclusive:

  • "Womxn" arose as an alternative term for the English language words "woman" and "women" and was regularly in use from 2015-2020; the transgender community has requested that others retire the word as it implies the exclusion of trans women from "women."

  • "Ladies" is old-fashioned and is being retired due to it's reliance on old school notions of gender that patronize women, especially in the workplace setting.

  • “A transgender”, “A trans” (transgender is an adjective, instead say “transgender person”, “trans woman”, or “trans man”)

  • “Tranny”, “transvestite” (say, “trans person” “someone in the transgender community”)

  • “Female-to-male” /“FTM” or "Male-to-female" /“MTF” (no longer in use)

  • “Pre-op" or “Post-op” (no longer in use) 

Orientation

Via Emily Howe, corporategender.org

If you can't remember "all the letters" in LBGTQAI+ or their exact order- it's okay. The Pride community has many different versions. The best practice is to use the ones you remember. What counts is allies speaking up about LBGTQ+ concerns.

Ability

Gender

IDENTITY-FIRST LANGUAGE

Via Stasi Bacigalupo, Disability Rights Leader 

In many communities, we are experiencing a transition to "Identity-first language" from the "people-first language" that was recently considered the best practice. This is especially true in the Autistic community.

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The key here is to take your lead from the person who is in the community or has a disability themselves. 

 

Identity-first language would be “Jennifer is Autistic” "I am disabled" "I am a woman"

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"People-first language" places the person before a diagnosis/condition, describing what a person "has" rather than what a person "is", such as “Jennifer has or lives with Autism” or I am someone who has a disability."

NEURODIVERSITY

"Neurodivergent"/"neurodiverse" are an increasingly common way to refer to people who have a brain that is developmentally different and/or "a mental illness" (“Mental health disability” and “mental illness” are being replaced by "neurodivergent" and "neurodiverse")

NOT FOR PROFESSIONAL USE

Avoid to remain kind and inclusive:

  • “Homosexual” (use “gay”, “lesbian”)

  • “Sexual preference” (“sexual orientation”, or increasingly just “orientation”)

  • “Gay lifestyle” - it’s just a life

  • “Gay relationship” – it’s just a relationship

  • “Gay wedding” – it’s just a wedding

  • “Queer” - unless you're queer yourself; instead, use “Pride Community” or “LGBTQ+”

NOT FOR PROFESSIONAL USE

Avoid to remain kind and inclusive:

  • Do not correct someone with a disability who calls themself something that you don't agree with. People get to self-define.

IN ADDITION TO OUTRIGHT SLURS...

In a Meeting

... the following words are considered - by many conscious leaders, marginalized individuals, and inclusion advocates - to be out-dated, hurtful, uncool, and/or unkind:

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EXOTIC

TRIBE

SPIRIT ANIMAL

POW WOW

"OPEN THE KIMONO"

GYPSY

SLAY

WOKE

YAAAS

GHETTO

LAME

NAZI

JUNKIE

OCD/ADD/BIPOLAR

CRAZY/INSANE

LADIES

GUYS

To learn more and read many beautiful articles about these and future problematic verbiage, just

google "Is _____ offensive or problematic?" or "why shouldn't I use the word ____?"

Please share additional words for the list:

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