Humanists UK inclusive language guide

The non-religious face significant discrimination worldwide. It is illegal to be openly non-religious in

around 30 countries, with 13 punishing blasphemy or apostasy with death, and as a result a number
of countries have virtually no openly non-religious community. It’s important that the UK FoRB
Forum embeds language inclusive of the non-religious and humanists throughout its work to uphold
everyone’s rights to FoRB and model the way for other countries around the globe to do the same.

Rather than merely being symbolic, our employing inclusive language will also result in the non-
religious being clearly considered and included in work upholding FoRB (e.g. reports, inquiries) and
will ensure contents (e.g. terms of references, recommendations) are fully inclusive.

We know that many bodies and organisations are already using inclusive language, however we have
prepared the below suggestions to assist with this. Prioritise the phrase ‘religion or belief’ which
encompasses everyone and follows existing human rights terminology, and the name of the FoRB
Forum itself. Ensure calls for FoRB include the non-religious by avoiding ‘freedom of religion’ and
adding ‘or belief’, or use the common shorthand ‘FoRB’ instead. Sentences like ‘all faiths and none’
should be avoided as humanism is not a lack of a religious belief, but a positively held non-religious
belief – an alternative is ‘all-religions and beliefs’.

Please get in touch for any further advice or questions: richy@humanists.uk.

Avoid Problem Alternatives

‘Freedom of religion’ / ‘religious freedom’ Not inclusive of the non-religious ‘Freedom of religion or belief’
/ ‘freedom of religious belief’

‘Freedom of religion or belief or no belief’ Implies non-religious aren’t ‘Freedom of religion or belief’
covered by ‘or belief’

‘All religions and none’ / ‘all faiths and Better to focus on positive beliefs ‘All religions and beliefs’
none’ of the non-religious

‘Atheist’ (when you mean more than just Better to use a broader Generally speaking ‘non-
a lack of belief in a god or gods)  description if this is what is meant religious’ or ‘humanist’ is best

Using ‘secular’ to mean non-religious ‘Secular’ means neither religious Generally speaking ‘non-
nor non-religious religious’ or ‘humanist’ is best

‘Unbelief’ / ‘non-belief’ These are intrinsically negative Generally speaking ‘non-

terms implying a lack of any religious’ or ‘humanist’ is best
beliefs at all