On inclusive language: a short primer

Image by Aleksandr Barsukov on Unsplash

I originally put this together as an informative accordion for my website… Because you’ve got questions about inclusive language and you’ve visited edi-tor.com for answers, right?

Right.

But—you probably don’t want to see this many words on a main page. And it’s not especially inclusive practice for me to info dump without warning or your consent.

So—here’s a blog post setting out my take on the big questions:

• What is inclusive language?

• Why does inclusive language matter?

• How can I tell whether my language is inclusive?

• Where might I think about using more inclusive language?

• When will I see a return on my investment in inclusive language?

Read it now or bookmark it to read later—with coffee—and let’s talk when you’re done!

What is inclusive language?

Inclusive language—sometimes known as conscious language—is an approach to writing and editing that centres the audience. It’s how you can craft content that holds space for every member of the audience you have and the audience you want.

At its simplest, inclusive language is they, not he or she. It’s someone using a wheelchair, not confined to it. It is sometimes Adam and Steve, not always Adam and Eve.

Inclusive language is why the venue a short walk away from the station tells some delegates that they’re not catered for—not welcome—at your event.

But inclusive language is so much more than a checklist of the ways words can hurt.

Inclusive language is a learning mindset.

It means exploring why you might sometimes embrace editorial inconsistency, capitalising Black and Indigenous but not white—because you’re learning that small semantic signals such as these have cumulative effect on equity and respect.

It means weighing up whether to use identity-first language (autistic service user), because you’re learning why person-first (service user with autism)—once considered best inclusive practice—is increasingly perceived as invalidating and outdated.

At its best, inclusive language is a journey—and I can help you keep pace.

Why does inclusive language matter?

Inclusive language steers us away from the words that can marginalise, stigmatise and retraumatise. We learn to talk to one another in ways that foster inclusion and belonging. We bring kindness into conversations that can be uncomfortable and we can seed understanding across difference.

When we engage with inclusive language, we learn to think critically and creatively beyond stereotypes and harmful tropes. To think not only about what’s said and who’s seen but also what and who are not.

Inclusive language both effects and reflects inclusive attitudes and behaviours.

For some, that’s argument enough.

Others demand a business case—because there’s a cost to change and resources are often stretched.

So we can talk about how inclusive language will broaden your audience, boost your reach and engagement, and widen participation in your programmes.

We can talk about how it promotes team cohesion and creativity.

We can talk about belonging and brand loyalty, about reputation and relationship marketing—and about how you’ll secure your professional credibility, evidence best practices and seize the lead in your field.

Inclusive language is a long-term survival strategy in a changing world—so let’s talk.

How can I tell whether my language is inclusive?

I know you want a simple checklist—so let’s try something close: an iterative framework, organised as a mnemonic device poking fun at the corrosive ‘culture wars’ narrative.

• Consult credible sources such as the Conscious Style Guide.

• Ask for feedback and lean into discomfort if you hear that your words have hurt.

• Reflect on your assumptions and bring your unconscious biases into the light.

• Explore unfamiliar experiences from outside of the circles you move in, the media you usually consume and the life you’ve lived.

• Welcome your audience: who are you talking to—and who do you hope to reach? Will they feel seen and safe in your spaces?

• Amplify marginalised voices—because, even with inclusive language, it’s not always your story to tell.

• Rinse and repeat.

At the heart of every one of these actions is care for others and self-reflection. Curious empathy and questions. And awareness that inclusive language is ever evolving.

You’re not wrong if you’re thinking this looks like a lot of work on top of your own specialist professional development… It is.

It’s my full-time job and a learning journey I’ve no intention of ending—which is how I can confidently offer specialist services to supplement your own niche expertise and help develop your inclusive language skill set.

Where might I think about using more inclusive language?

Where are you talking to people in shared spaces? Where are you seeking one-to-one connection? Where are you trying to tell compelling stories?

Where are you speaking, writing, signing or otherwise using words in your workplace—and beyond?

The places where inclusive language can do good things are unlimited.

Think about all the ways in which you communicate with your customers. Your colleagues. Your clients. Your cohort.

Think about your website, your marketing materials, your posts on social media.

Consider your policies and procedures, the emails you send, the meetings you chair.

Review some of your recent reports, the slides and scripts you’ve prepared for your presentations, your style guide.

Take a look at your administrative systems, your intake forms, your database fields.

Think about using more inclusive language wherever you use words.

When will I see a return on my investment in inclusive language?

I know you don’t want to hear this, but our work on inclusive language isn’t an end in itself; it’s a beginning. The return will depend not only on what you invest now but also on what you invest beyond our time together.

On the work you do to reinforce the positive payback loop we’re creating.

The good news is that your investment in inclusive language is an investment in people and so it’s in their stories that you’ll likely find your most compelling return.

That means some of the return on your investment in inclusive language will quickly show itself: the new member who joined because they saw themselves represented; the team that communicates more clearly across and about differences; the author who shares on socials how sensitively you handled their memoir.

It means too that some of the return on your investment in inclusive language may never be revealed: the incidents of discrimination and harassment you avoid; the PR crises you manage out before your words reach the world; and the goodwill you retain in an increasingly sensitive marketplace.

Like any investment in equity, diversity and inclusion (EDI), your commitment to shifting culture and practice will yield its most marked results in the long term (ie 3–5 years).

But the fact that you’re here tells me you’re already invested in inclusive language. And I believe that means you’re going to start seeing some of the returns immediately you and I start talking.