As a content and copywriter, it’s my job to write well for my audience. Depending on the text, I am either persuading a customer to buy or I am educating and entertaining them. To be as effective as I can be, I need to write inclusively. This is because it extends the customer base by including as many people as possible. And more importantly, it creates a better world for us all. Today, I’d like to introduce some ways to write with inclusivity in mind. While I too try and write with inclusivity in mind, I am coming to this topic from my own perspective and with a focus on English (UK) language, dialect and writing styles.
What To Avoid When Writing
Writing with inclusivity in mind is often about unlearning stereotypes and commonly used phrases that may be problematic. We’ve all grown up in cultures that have shaped our use of language, and not always for the best. It’s our job as marketers to use updated and more inclusive language for all.
Avoid Ableist Language
While other social justice campaigns, such as the Black Lives Matter & Stonewall, have had lots of publicity, the disabled community is certainly less visible. This is shown through the ableist language which is prolific in our media making it one of the hardest exclusionary language tropes to break. Words or phrases such as crazy, insane, blind to or blind eye to, cripple, dumb, and others, are all commonly used in everyday language but ‘other’ those with mental and physical disabilities. Whenever you come across words that have been used in a medical sense, they should not be used to describe people or even inanimate objects. Choose alternative words depending on the context.
You should also look to avoid bias and harm when writing specifically about those with disabilities. For example, using phrases such as wheelchair-bound makes the use of a wheelchair inherently negative. Instead, you can write, uses a wheelchair; it’s factually accurate and doesn’t denote negativity or positivity.
Avoid Unnecessarily Gendered Language
Many terms in common usage today are unnecessarily gendered and are exclusionary in the way they are used. Unless you are referring specifically to a gendered group, there is no need to include gendered language. In many ways, gendered language can reduce the flow of writing. They, is better than he or she, because it’s short and makes it easier to get your point across whilst also being gender neutral. Objects don’t need to be gendered so find alternatives. Here’s a few classic examples:
- Instead of a manhole use a maintenance hole.
- Rather then ‘hey guys’, how about ‘hey folks’.
- Instead of Police Man, refer to them as police officer.
Not only does non-gendered language make the world more inclusive for trans and non-binary people, but it also encourages everyone to reevaluate gender norms. Take the police officer example; using officer over man or woman sends the signal that this job is available to all, no matter their gender. This is an essential lesson for all, but we get this message out there to the younger generation.
What to Include When Writing With Inclusivity in Mind
Write diverse and inclusive examples
Our writing is littered with examples and metaphors to convey our message. When creating stories for copy or content, try to include a diverse range of characters and roles. This could be:
- Using less common names rather than defaulting to John or Jane Smith.
- Having people in roles they may not be traditionally associated with.
- Including people of different ethnicities, sexualities or people with disabilities in the narrative, but only when it makes sense to reference these differences.
Use Names the Community Identifies With
When discussing ethnicity, nationality or cultural groups, try and establish what name that community wishes to be known by. Be mindful of lumping communities together unnecessarily. For example, when we discuss the Native American people of the North American continent, they are not one homogenous group. There are hundreds of individual communities with their own culture and history. Above all, avoid out-of-date terms or of course words that communities would find deeply offensive. For example, words such as ‘Orientals’, ‘Chinamen’ ‘Pikey‘ and ‘Pickaninny’ are imperialistic and racist. It’s not just about referring to individuals or groups of people though. There are many racially charged names for things that need to be changed. Just a few examples include:
- Plantation shutters – These should be referred to as simply shutters or their specific styles such as tier-on-tier or cafe-style shutters.
- Paddy wagon – The phrase for a police car either stemmed from the large number of Irish police officers or the perception that rowdy, drunken Irishmen constantly ended up in the back of police cars
Inclusive Copy and Content
If you are looking to hire a copy and/or content writer that writes with inclusivity in mind, I’m here to help. Middleton Marketing is focused on creating ethical marketing campaigns for all our clients and that includes improving the inclusivity of our writing. Get in touch to discuss your writing needs.