Language matters: An incomplete guide to inclusive and accessible writing

A picture may say a thousand words, but the pen is mightier than the sword and the words used in a blog, social post, newsletter, landing page, annual report, and more, matter.

Creating inclusive content is not just about writing a piece in support of International Women’s Day, Pride Month or the National Day of Truth and Reconciliation, it means being acutely aware of the word choices that encompass gender, sex, sexual orientation, race, ethnicity, culture, nationality, disability, education, and mental health. 

Businesses and non-profits that consistently use inclusive and accessible language get noticed. But it’s not just about having good business practices, it’s about evolving our use of language to be welcoming to all.

It can seem overwhelming, we know. So, for your next writing project, here is an incomplete guide with some quick tips to using inclusive and accessible language. 

Choose gender-neutral terms and pronouns. Use they/them pronouns, unless writing about a specific person who has stated their pronouns. Also use gender neutral terms such as partner instead of husband/wife, or child instead of daughter/son. And, avoid using the word ‘guys’ when referring to a group of people — it assumes that the normal, default human being is male — and use words like people or folks instead. The same goes for the word ‘man’ — instead of terms like manpower, use terms like workforce or personnel. 

People-first vs. identity-first language.  When writing about mental health, it’s more common to use people-first language, focusing on the individual while de-emphasizing the illness or condition. (E.g. A person who lives with schizophrenia vs. a schizophrenic person.) Identity-first language, on the other hand, is rooted in the relationship between a personal identity and a disability and is more common in communities where individuals prefer to focus on their unique abilities rather than the disability. (E.g. An autistic person vs. a person with autism.)

Don’t use mental health as a synonym for everyday challenges. Doing so underplays the impact of mental disabilities and adds to the stigmatization of those who struggle with such challenges. For example, rather than writing “she feels depressed” write instead “she feels sad.”

Don’t use ableist language. There are much better words to use than ones like crazy, nuts, dumb, or lame. 

Avoid idioms that may not be commonly understood. Jargon, acronyms and idioms don’t always translate well from country to country and some are even rooted in negative connotations and stereotypes.

Think accessibility, especially for digital copy. Think about the different ways audiences may consume the content. Add descriptions to hyperlinks for screen reader use; and choose words for calls to action that focus on what a person accomplishes from the action rather than assuming how they are interacting with it. For example, writing ‘see more’ on a hyperlink assumes that the reader is seeing the content.

This quick-tips guide is definitely imperfect. Language, and the words we use, is constantly evolving and as our understanding and empathy toward others increases, it’s good practice to continually dive deeper into specific word choices to ensure that there isn’t, perhaps, a better one.