Strive to use inclusive language consistently. A word that excludes others remains exclusive regardless of your perception. Language evolves over time, so it’s crucial to be mindful of these changes, respect how individuals self-identify, and stay informed about language relevant to your subject matter.
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General Points
Ask people how they wish to be referred to in your story, including their pronouns and names. Recognize that these may differ from the pronouns or names in their signature, or how the person may have been introduced to you by someone else.
Avoid the phrase “identifies as” and simply state someone’s identity.
- Not: Kacey identifies as a man.
- But: Kacey is a man.
Avoid binary sex/gender terms or words that imply only two sexes/genders.
Avoid saying “prefers” or “preferred” in references to names and pronouns.
- Not: Kacey prefers he/him pronouns.
- But: Kacey’s pronouns are he/him
Avoid putting identity terms in quotation marks.
- Not: Kacey is a “man.”
- But: Kacey is a man.
Use the acronym LGBTQ2SIA+ in stories about Pride events or any topics that cover sexuality and/or gender identity, where it makes sense. Mention sexuality and gender identity only if relevant to the story.
Avoid stigmatized/outdated/incorrect terms. If someone uses a term or phrase for themselves that is different from those listed here such as queer, respect what they use for themselves.
Pronouns
As mentioned above, ask your source their pronouns and names, and respect what people say. This may include using the pronouns they, ze, fae or other gender-neutral pronouns. Ensure you conjugate these correctly (see minus18.org.au/pronouns-app/).
Use the person’s gender-affirming pronoun as well as their name in your story. Aim for clarity as well as sensitivity and inclusivity.
- Not: “A student must declare his or her major before the start of the third term.”
- But: “A student must declare their major before the start of the third term.”
Sometimes you can make the subject plural: Students must declare their major before the start of their third term. Or eliminate the reference to gender-specific pronouns: A student must declare a major before the start of third term. Or use only the person’s surname throughout the story, although do so sparingly to avoid repetitiveness.
Gender-Neutral and Gender-Inclusive Language
Binary language implies only two sexes and/or genders. Avoid references to “both sexes/genders,” “either sex/gender,” or “opposite sex/gender.” Instead, use the phrase “all sexes/genders” (depending on context and what is being communicated).
When writing speeches or addressing formal audiences, use inclusive, gender-neutral language such as “welcome to all our guests” or “distinguished guests.” Avoid addressing a crowd as “ladies and gentlemen.”
Variants of alumnus/alumna reflect Latin origins. “Alumnus” means one graduating man; “alumna,” one graduating woman. “Alumni” refers to a group of grads, including at least one man. “Alumnae” refers only to multiple women graduates. Look for ways to use “graduate,” “grad” or even the colloquial “alum.” In a story about one person or a small group of people (as opposed to an entire graduating class), ask for their preference instead of assuming.
Consider other gender-neutral words: Police officer, firefighter, flight attendant, letter carrier, server (instead of hostess), massage therapist (instead of masseuse), garment worker (instead of seamstress)
Use chair instead of chairman. Rather than man or mankind, use person, people, human beings, humanity. Rather than man-made, use artificial, constructed, manufactured.
Avoid gender-specific words related to women: actress (use actor), waitress (server), mother tongue (first language), maiden name (birth name).
Don’t use girl
unless referring to a female 16 or younger. From 18 up, use woman
.
If an interviewee uses girl
or girls
inappropriately, paraphrase.
Use fellow
in formal appointments such as Fellow of the Royal Society of Canada, but otherwise avoid this word with its male connotation. Instead of fellow students, staff or faculty, use peers, colleagues, co-workers, associates, etc. Or use other
: The Guelph professors are working with other researchers across Canada. Instead of post-doctoral fellow, use post-doctoral researcher or post-doc whenever possible.
Do not assume that spouses or married individuals use the same surname. Is the person’s marital or family status (single, married, divorced) relevant to the story? If so, ask the interviewee what term they use to refer to their spouse (partner, husband, wife).
Often, masculine nouns and pronouns preceded the feminine equivalent (husband and wife, his and hers). Look to alternate your word order between masculine and feminine.
A note about animals: Animals have sex, not gender. Use the pronouns they/them/their
to refer to an animal. She
or he
(her/him/his) is appropriate if used in a quote, if used in the kind of story where it seems appropriate to humanize the animal, or where the sex is known: The queen bee left her hive. The stag charged at his rival.
Terms
Gender identity: a person’s sense of their gender.
Cisgender: A person whose gender identity corresponds to the sex they were assigned at birth.
Transgender (not “transgendered”) or trans: A person whose gender identity differs from the sex they were assigned at birth.
Gender non-conforming: Someone whose gender identity and/or expression may not conform to the gender binary, or expectations about gender and gender expression.
Non-binary: A person whose gender falls outside of the gender binary.
Queer: An adjective used by some people to describe their sexuality when they do not identify as heterosexual or straight. Once considered a pejorative term, queer has in recent years been reclaimed by LGBTQ2IA+ people to describe themselves.
Two-Spirit (not “two-spirited”): An adjective used by some Indigenous and First Nations people to describe people who are not straight and/or cisgender. Two-spirit has different meanings depending on the Indigenous person, nation, region and/or territory and should only be used in reference to an Indigenous person.
Pride
Capitalize Pride when referring to Pride events or organizations honouring LGBTQ2SIA+ communities, It is Pride Month. He went to Pride.
Lowercase pride when referring to generic events or the general concept of LGBTQ2SIA+ pride: He attended a gay pride parade. They flew a pride flag.
Resources
- Student Experience: LGBTQ2IA+ Students
- 519 Toronto Media Reference Guide (appropriate and inappropriate language for discussing trans and gender-diverse people)
- GLAAD Media Reference Guide
- HRC’s Brief Guide to Getting Transgender Coverage Right