The Department of Education defines inclusive language as “language that is free from words, phrases or tones that reflect prejudiced, stereotyped or discriminatory views of particular people or groups. It is also language that doesn’t deliberately or inadvertently exclude people from being seen as part of a group, such as using gender-specific pronouns.”
No matter what we feel about the excesses of political correctness, non-inclusive language can create offense in people (either on their own behalf or on behalf of other people).
At the very least we have to accept that when it is used by some individuals and groups, it can reflect an intolerance or bias that we have worked hard to address within society – an intolerance with which we would probably prefer not to associate. In other words, even totally innocent use of non-inclusive language can have implications which may affect the engagement and commitment of people in our meetings, and should be avoided.
This is particularly important in organisations which are seeking to address issues of diversity – not just in terms of nature or disposition, but also in terms of thinking and approach.
We need a rich vein of ideas and perspectives to ensure the best outcomes, and it is diversity that helps us to achieve that. Diversity may seem like a moral and ethical position, but it can also be a pragmatic and rewarding one.
The first step is to find ways to ensure your own language is inclusive – ditch those purely masculine pronouns, and check the adjectives you use do not create unfortunate associations between something flawed and undesirable with any group of people – such as the word ‘lame’ for instance (but there are many more, and we don’t always realise we are using them).
While we clearly don’t intend offence with these words, they can unintentionally reflect aspects of our traditions and history where disdain for other groups ‘not like us’ was more prevalent and accepted.
But inclusive language is not just about groups, it is also about individuals, and about appreciation and respect of individual contributions.
There is clearly value in humour and banter in keeping group energy high, but it is important that this is not at the cost of an individual’s feelings or respect. Humour is often the weapon of choice of the cynic and the bully, and sometimes we don’t even realise it is happening. A sarcastic put-down or rolling-eyes can both damage somebody’s confidence and trash what might have been the beginnings of a different way forward.
So the second step is to pick up and address (in the nicest and most supportive way) use of non-inclusive language by others. Include it in your groundrules – perhaps with a line like: “We value diversity in all things and positively support it in word and deed.” which would give you the perfect opportunity to pick up on the behaviour illustrated in the previous paragraph.
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