I’m sad to see companies backing out of commitments to Pride month, also known as “rainbow hushing” (quietly dropping or rebranding diversity programs). It’s a fallout of the current U.S. administration’s opinion of diversity and LGBTQ issues, and it seems to be bleeding across the border into Canada.
So for my latest look at some of the posts I’ve shared on social media, you’ll find a number related to diversity and inclusive language:
DEI isn’t dead but it seems you’d better not call it that. So far, “inclusion” seems to be acceptable.
“Creating a best-in-class workforce that reflects the community you serve doesn’t have to be a choice.” Nice to read about e.l.f. Beauty and its continued commitment to diversity. LOL to the “So Many Dicks” campaign.
Mastercard and PepsiCo are among the global brands decreasing Pride Month support, but yielding to conservative pressures can alienate consumers. “Navigating Pride in a polarized world” has two strategies to scale back without losing trust.
Don’t say someone’s pronouns are “preferred” or “chosen,” simply say “NAME, who uses the pronoun…” This is just one of the ways to make your writing clear, according to AP style.
“Learning to use inclusive language consciously is ‘about understanding how your language might cause harm and working to prevent that harm from occurring.’” The Conscious Style Guide points to UA Magazine and discusses the problems with using the word “stakeholder.”
“People may dismiss gender-neutral language as unnecessary or merely ideological.” However – and this is so important – a 2019 study found that “using gender-neutral pronouns increases positive attitudes toward women and LGBTQ+ people, by reducing the salience of masculine identity and subsequently causing less gender-based bias.”
Nearly 30% of Gen Z identifies as LGBTQIA+, and 75% of this generation supports non-discrimination protections for LGBTQIA+ people. As Gen Z enters the workforce in greater numbers, inclusive workplaces are key to attracting them.
Managers need to address bias, the root cause of most DEI challenges. Anu Gupta shares a simple exercise to help check unconscious biases in Harvard Business Review.
Do your inclusion efforts apply to people with disabilities? They should. AMI travel series host Christa Couture wants to show non-disabled viewers how disabled people are often excluded. She also wants disabled audiences to think, if she can do it, I can do it too. Via Robin Esrock and Canadian Geographic.
Using alt text supports inclusion. The Open Notebook shares their guide to using alt text, including when and where to put it and how to write it. I’ve seen lengthy alt text so was interested that they recommend fewer than 125 characters. Also no need for “image of” and don’t use quotation marks.
Did you catch any of the links the first time I posted them? What other helpful, interesting or funny posts have you found online? Please share in the comments or drop me a note.
Neon rainbow by Ana Cruz on Unsplash.
Related reading:
Tips for diversity and inclusion, including good link text, avoiding ageism in writing, and navigating polarizing topics
What to do/not do for Pride, DEI stats to measure, and best practices to include people with disabilities
Tips for better inclusion, including the curb-cut effect, visual treatments that improve accessibility, and use of pronouns