Inclusive Language

Language Hints and Tips

Tips on the language of race

Consider which racial or ethnic groups you're talking about and ensure the terms you're using accurately reflect them
Avoid using umbrella terms like BAME or BME unnecessarily and remember they do not refer to a singular homogenous ethnic group. It is better to use terms such as 'People from/with Ethnically Diverse Backgrounds' or 'People of Colour' if a generic term is unavoidable
Avoid using BAME when other terms like race or ethnicity may be more appropriate, for example: avoid saying ‘BAME inclusion’ when you can say ‘racial inclusion’
Always explain acronyms in full in any writing, particularly at first use, and avoid pronouncing or writing as words, for example, ‘Bame’
Seek more detailed data and insights wherever possible so you can better recognise, understand and reflect the experiences of different minoritised ethnic groups
Accept and acknowledge that ethnicity is an integral part of a person’s identity and treat it as such; avoid describing a person’s identity as ‘BAME’
Think carefully about whether it's relevant to refer to someone’s racial or ethnic identity, for example, news stories sometimes refer to a minoritised individual’s ethnicity when it's not relevant and they would not do so if speaking about a White person
Respect people’s preferences and allow options to self-describe when asking survey questions
In the right context and when ethnicity is relevant, it can be ok to clarify how people describe their identity, but first, question why you need to know and avoid making racially minoritised individuals feel like outsiders by asking questions like “where are you from?”
Continue to educate yourself, listen and learn as language continually evolves
Own and learn from your mistakes, apologise if you get the terminology wrong and cause offense

Tips on the language of gender

When addressing marginalised/underrepresented genders, be explicit and say something like "this opportunity is for people of underrepresented gender identities, this includes women, non-binary, gender-fluid, gender non-conforming and transgender...".
The term 'womxn' can be used to address individuals identifying as a woman, but this is not a widely used term yet, and in general, many trans people are not comfortable with it
Try to get into the habit of using ‘they/them’ until you know someone’s pronouns, for example: “There is someone here to see you. I will ask them to take a seat”
When you introduce someone use their pronouns so that others know what pronouns to adopt, for example: “This is Jen, they work in Engineering. This is Fred, he works in Psychology”
Listen to how people speak about themselves and follow suit
Pronouns may be detailed underneath their email signature if you have received an email from them, alternatively, they may also be available on their LinkedIn or other social media profiles
If you're unsure, discreetly ask people what their pronouns are, for example: “Sorry, I didn’t catch your pronouns”
Include personal pronouns in your email signature lines, in letter correspondence, and your LinkedIn (and other social media) profile(s)
Update your university and Teams/Zoom profiles with personal pronouns once you know them
The University is working towards your pronouns being included on your library name badge

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