(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."
To support inclusive leaders, the American Association of Corporate Gender Strategy has launched two tools (below), both community created, advocate tested, and ever-evolving.
BETTER words for the modern American workplace
Gender
Via Emily Howe, corporategender.org
NOT FOR PROFESSIONAL USE
Avoid to remain kind and inclusive:
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"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."
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"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.
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“A transgender”, “A trans” (transgender is an adjective, instead say “transgender person”, “trans woman”, or “trans man”)
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“Tranny”, “transvestite” (say, “trans person” “someone in the transgender community”)
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“Female-to-male” /“FTM” or "Male-to-female" /“MTF” (no longer in use)
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“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.
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"
"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:
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“Homosexual” (use “gay”, “lesbian”)
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“Sexual preference” (“sexual orientation”, or increasingly just “orientation”)
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“Gay lifestyle” - it’s just a life
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“Gay relationship” – it’s just a relationship
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“Gay wedding” – it’s just a wedding
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“Queer” - unless you're queer yourself; instead, use “Pride Community” or “LGBTQ+”
NOT FOR PROFESSIONAL USE
Avoid to remain kind and inclusive:
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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...
... the following words are considered - by many conscious leaders, marginalized individuals, and inclusion advocates - to be out-dated, hurtful, uncool, and/or unkind:
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:
