External glossaries, definitions, and reference works for inclusive-language terminology.

• The Diversity Style Guide
• American Psychological Association Inclusive Language Guide
• APA Race and Ethnicity
• Neurodiverse Connection — Neurodiversity-Affirming Language
• ADA Network — Writing About People with Disabilities
• GLAAD Media Reference Guide
• National Institute on Aging
• Glossary of Ableist Language
• National Association of Black Journalists Style Guide
• National Center on Disability and Journalism Style Guide
• NPR — “How to talk about disability sensitively and avoid ableist tropes”
• National Institutes of Health — Person First Language
• Suicide Prevention Alliance
• Very Well Mind — Referring to People with Autism
• Buffalo’s Fire — American Indian vs Native American

Inclusive-language style guides from peer universities.

• University of Edinburgh Editorial Style Guide
• Hamilton Inclusive Language Guide
• Boston University Inclusive Language
• University of Wisconsin–Madison Inclusive Language Guide

Best-practice references for writing accessible digital content.

• Mailchimp Writing for Accessibility
• National Disability Rights Network Accessibility Guidelines
• Make Way Checklist for Accessible Communication
• University of Michigan Digital Accessibility

Always defer to the pronouns a person uses for themself. Do not assume a person’s pronouns.

• They/them are acceptable as singular pronouns when the subject’s gender is unknown, irrelevant, or if the subject uses they/them pronouns.
• When they is used in the singular, be sure it’s clear from the context that only one person is involved.
• No need to introduce pronouns — just use the person’s pronouns.
• Do not use the term “preferred pronouns” as it implies a choice and an alternative to one’s gender.
• Do not use “his or her” when describing a hypothetical person. Use they pronouns in reference to a hypothetical person.

Sex refers to biological factors such as chromosomes and anatomy, while gender refers to the roles and self-identity associated with sex.

• Use each term appropriately given the context of what you are writing about.

Preferred terms for gender identity:

• affirmed gender
• cisgender
• nonbinary
• transgender

Use terms like “pregnant parent” or “pregnant person” instead of “pregnant woman” if the gender identity of the pregnant person is unknown.

• The most inclusive language recognizes that not only cisgender women but also transgender people who were assigned female at birth (AFAB) may become pregnant or desire to become pregnant. (APA)

Commonly used gendered terms and their inclusive / neutral alternatives.

Avoid language that otherizes older people: the elderly, elderly people, the aged, seniors, senior citizens.

• Instead, describe people as older adults, older people, people 60 years and older, older population, older individuals.
• Avoid terms like “aging well” and “successful aging” as it implies there’s a right way and a wrong way to age, placing the responsibility for healthy aging on the individual.

Refer to someone as either an autistic person or a person with autism only if the information is relevant to the story and if an autism diagnosis has been given. Do not assume an individual’s medical diagnosis.

• Ask the person how they prefer to be described. Some prefer to be described as “autistic,” while others prefer “an autistic person” or a “person with autism.”
• If you are not able to ask, or if the person does not have a preference, then use person-first language (person with autism).

For more information on writing about people with autism, visit Very Well Mind.

The term blind may be used for people who have complete or almost complete loss of sight. It is best to ask your subject how they prefer to be described.

• You can ask whether the person prefers identity-first (“blind person”) or people-first (“person with blindness”) language.

Limited or low vision is an acceptable term when a person is not legally or completely blind.

• Avoid the term colorblind.
• Can use medical terms: deuteranomaly, achromatopsia.

• Use uppercase Deaf when referring to the Deaf community and lowercase deaf when referring to the condition or a specific person who is deaf.
• “Deaf” or “hard of hearing” are the preferred terms.
• Avoid using “hearing impaired” or “partial” or “partially” in reference to deafness or hearing loss unless people use those terms for themselves.
• When writing about a specific person, ask the person how they prefer to be described.

• In general, do not describe an individual as disabled unless it is clearly pertinent to a story, if the person uses the term, or if a medical diagnosis has been made. If the disability is relevant to the story, try to be specific.
• Avoid descriptions that connote pity such as: afflicted with, stricken with, suffers from, is a victim of. Instead use neutral language (person has…).
• Avoid confined to. Instead use neutral language (person uses a wheelchair, mobility device, etc.).
• When possible, ask people how they want to be described. Some people view their disability as central to their identity and use identity-first language such as a “disabled person.” Others prefer person-first language such as a “person with a disability.”
• In describing groups of people, or when individual preferences can’t be determined, use person-first language (people with [specific condition]).

• When referring to a person with a disease or chronic illness, only refer to the condition if it is pertinent to the story and if a medical diagnosis has been given. Do not assume an individual’s medical diagnosis.
• Ask your subject how they want to be described. Some people prefer “person with diabetes” rather than “a diabetic.”
• Avoid descriptions that connote pity such as: afflicted with, stricken with, suffers from, is a victim of. Instead use neutral language (person has…).
• Do not describe sobriety as “clean.”

Refer to people with learning differences rather than learning disabilities to include people whose differences are neither legal nor medical.

When referring to a person with a mental illness, only refer to the condition if it is pertinent to the story.

• Mental illness is okay to use as a general term, but specific conditions should be used when possible.
• Whenever possible, specify the specific illness a person has.
• Always refer to someone with a mental illness using person-first language (a person with depression rather than depressed person).

• neurodivergent: a person who diverges from the neurotype that benefits from and works with the way the society they live in operates. Do not describe a neurodivergent person as mentally challenged.
• neurotypical: a person whose neurotype benefits from and works with the way the society they live in operates. Do not describe a neurotypical person as “normal.”

• When writing about suicide, opt for language such as died by suicide, lost their life to suicide, or survived a suicide attempt.
• Do not say committed suicide, completed suicide, killed oneself, or failed a suicide attempt.
• Stories focused on suicide should include this copy at the bottom of the post in italics:

Common disability-related terms and their inclusive alternatives.

Phrases with ableist connotations and their neutral alternatives.

Ableist terms to avoid:

• Crazy, insane, nuts, stupid
• Crippled
• Crutch (used figuratively)
• Handicapped
• Lame
• Special needs

For more terms to avoid see the Glossary of Ableist Language.

Other insensitive terms to avoid:

• Killing it
• Nailed it
• Pull the trigger
• Rule of thumb
• Take a shot at
• Take a stab at
• Target

Use the capitalized term as an adjective in a racial, ethnic, or cultural sense: Black people, Black culture, Black literature, etc.

• The term African American is not interchangeable with Black. Do not use African American in place of Black.
• Ask how a person self-identifies.

Ethnicity is used to describe the shared cultural characteristics such as language, ancestry, practices, nationality, and beliefs.

• Only reference a person’s ethnicity if it is pertinent to the story.
• Defer to a subject’s self-identity.
• Do not use hyphens to denote dual heritage, ethnicity, or religion. (African American, Asian American, American Muslim, etc.)
• Be sure that the ethnic categories you use are as clear and specific as possible.

See also race.

• Be specific when you can — use the tribal nation’s name.
• Defer to a subject’s self-identity.
• “Indigenous People(s)” should be capitalized.
• When describing specific characteristics that are Indigenous, capitalize Indigenous but not the other related words.
• Alaska Native should not be referred to as Eskimo.

When writing about people who identify as Latino, Latina, Latine, Latinx, or another related designation, you should consult with the individuals with whom you are working to determine the terminology they prefer.

• Be specific when you can — use country of origin (Guatemalan American) or region (Central/South American) to describe people’s heritage or ethnicity if you do not know their race.

To understand when to use the various terms, view National Institute of Health or APA Style.

Race is used to describe physical differences that groups and cultures consider socially significant.

• Only reference a person’s race if it is pertinent to the story.
• Defer to a subject’s self-identity.
• Do not use Black and White as nouns.
• Use White, not Caucasian.
• Be sure that the racial categories you use are as clear and specific as possible.

See also ethnicity.

Racially or ethnically biased language to avoid:

• Cakewalk
• Circle the wagons
• Grandfathered
• Hold down the fort
• Master
• “No can do”
• “No way, Jose”
• Oriental
• Powwow
• Spirit animal
• Spooky
• Totem pole

Explanations and Resources: NBCU Academy, West Coast Editors, NPR.

Use developing nations or developing countries instead of third-world countries.

Avoid terms such as vulnerable, marginalized, and high-risk as adjectives, as they are stigmatizing, vague, and imply that it is inherent to the group.

Instead, be specific in your language:

• Disproportionately affected by
• Groups that have been (economically/socially) marginalized
• Communities with high prevalence of
• Groups experiencing disadvantage
• Groups experiencing a disproportionate impact of
• Under-resourced communities
• Medically underserved communities
• People who lack access to

• Only mention someone’s housing situation when it is relevant to the story.
• When describing a person who is homeless, use phrases like person experiencing homelessness, person who is homeless, or unhoused person.
• Refer to the unhoused population, not the homeless population.

Use intimate partner violence or gender-based violence instead of domestic violence, as they are more specific and include violence outside of a shared home.

• When using the term revitalization, ensure that your intention matches the definition of the term. Revitalization refers to cultural renewal and uplift, not cultural displacement.
• Revitalization should not be used to describe business and economic activity being introduced into a community.

To learn more, visit National Low Income Housing Coalition.

• Do not use the term urban euphemistically to describe communities of color.
• If you want to describe communities with high population density, be specific with your language before using the term urban.

Equity-related terms and their inclusive alternatives.

Don’t convey information with color alone. For example, use both color and underlined text for links, and use pattern and color to differentiate information in charts and graphs.

Choose color combinations with a minimum contrast ratio of 4.5:1. Don’t use low-contrast or hard-to-read color combinations, such as light green and white or red and green.

Don’t use screened or shaded backgrounds, watermarks, or other images behind text. Reduced contrast makes text harder to read.

Be mindful of font and font size. Choose clear, easy-to-read fonts and maintain consistent formatting.

• Sans-serif fonts are often preferred for digital readability.
• A serif is a small decorative stroke or “foot” attached to the end of a larger stroke in a character or letter.

Use sufficiently large, readable font sizes and avoid excessively small text.

Avoid extended text in all caps, which can reduce readability and visual scanning.

Write alternative (alt) text for all images and graphics.

Alternative or alt text is the text that is embedded into a post that briefly describes an image. This text is hidden from public interfaces but appears in a platform’s code. The text allows assistive technology to explain what is in the post for those who may not be able to see the image.

• Alt text should convey the meaningful content or function of the image rather than describe every visual detail.

Write in plain language. Put information in logical order, and lead with the important details. Use active voice over passive voice. Provide definitions for unusual words and for abbreviations.

Make sure closed captioning is available on videos.

Ensure important visual information is communicated through narration, captions, or audio description when appropriate.

Use headings for better readability. Website and document headers should be used in sequential, descending order, generally speaking, i.e. H1, H2, H3, etc.

• H1 reserved for top-of-the-page headers and page names
• H2 used to separate page body text by topic
• H3 acts as subhead, typically within a body text such as an SMU News article
• H4, which includes a bar across the page, is reserved for hard separation of blocks of information and should be used sparingly
• H5 is standard for subheads inside expandable boxes

• Avoid linking to non-descriptive text such as “Click Here.” Add links to text that describes the content on the linked page.
• For printed materials, do not include http:// or www.

• Use a short URL when possible. If you need a short URL created, contact communications@samuelmerritt.edu.

File naming conventions for the SMU Connect website:

• When uploading files (docs, pdfs, images, etc.) to the SMU Connect website library, use a brief but descriptive name that will make it easy to find and sort with related files in the future.
• Avoid special characters, use descriptive names, and use spaces or hyphens consistently.