Inclusive language guide

NOTE: Please refer to the Editorial Style Guide for guidance on RISD-specific grammar and style rules for internal and external communications.

Overview

In support of RISD’s commitment to being an anti-racist, equitable, and inclusive institution, this guide provides direction for communicating about identity and diversity in inclusive, bias-free ways. It is not exhaustive and is intended to continuously evolve as terminologies and best practices do.

The aim of this guide is to help campus communicators use language that is respectful, accurate, anti-discriminatory, and aware – both of language’s potential for being harmful by being dismissive or exclusive, and for the opportunity it provides to build community. Doing so requires an ongoing approach to developing awareness, knowledge, and skills. That development might include understanding historical uses of language as tools of privilege, dominance, objectification, or minimalization; intentional, earnest discussions with end-users or intended audiences on ideal ways to frame communications and to incorporate appropriate and accurate language; awareness surrounding shifting terms and contemporary usage; and decentering one’s personal communication styles to center inclusion.

Communications on behalf of or about RISD should represent the community by featuring, quoting, and/or visually portraying people who help make up its diversity. While students, faculty, staff, and alumni should not be presented as tokens of a specific racial, ethnic or other historically underrepresented group, lack of inclusion is equally problematic since it can devalue underrepresented communities and render them invisible. Finding the right balance takes careful consideration.

In using this guide to create inclusive, anti-discriminatory communications, it is important to:

be conscious of stereotypes, assumptions and biases—including your own—so that you can actively work against them and exclude them from communications of any form.
consider situation and context in determining whether referencing identity (one’s ability, age, ethnicity, gender, race, religion or sexuality) is germane to your communication; when it is, use definitions, language and approaches preferred by the person/group involved or widely accepted as inclusive practice.
avoid reductionist language that could diminish individuals or groups down to a single element of their whole person, or might position an individual or individuals as representative of a larger group.
recognize the range of English language proficiencies among your audience from limited to advanced; keep content clear and concise, and avoid unexplained slang, acronyms, abbreviations, idioms, and cultural references to enable greater access to the communication.
remember that everyone, including you, holds aspects of diversity – many of which are detailed in this guide; avoid using the general term “diverse” when referring to a specific person or group of people (e.g., “a diverse hire”), opting to be as clear as possible by using a qualifier (e.g., “racially diverse” or “gender diversity”).
don’t insist on the authority of this guide over and above the preferences of those you feature in communications; respect the wishes of the individual or group and honor their preferences however you can.

</aside>

With all of this, if the language or framing you have used is questioned or corrected by another person, take that in, apologize if warranted, and learn from it, making efforts to incorporate these new understandings in the future. We’re all learning.

Please find specific guidance on inclusive language as it pertains to the following:

Overview

ableism, disability, and neurodiversity

family-inclusive language

formal education and social class

holidays