Culturally Sensitive and Bias-free Language

Elements in attaining culturally sensitive and bias-free language

What is “Inclusive Language”? Inclusive Language is communication that does not stereotype or
demean people based on personal characteristics including gender, gender expression, race,
ethnicity, economic background, ability/disability status, religion, sexual orientation, etc.

Identities Matter and Words Matter. Identities are personal. It is important to realize that each
person will define their own identity. Identity terms are meant for individuals to use to identify
themselves and not for us to identify them. You will find various definitions depending on culture,
places of origin, generation, etc.

Diversity. Individual differences (e.g., personality, learning styles, and life experiences) and
group/social differences (e.g., race/ethnicity, class, gender, sexual orientation, country of origin,
physical or cognitive abilities, as well as cultural, political, religious, or other affiliations) that can
be engaged in the service of learning.

Inclusion. The active, intentional, and ongoing engagement with diversity—in people, in the
curriculum, in the co-curriculum and in communities (intellectual, social, cultural, geographical).
This engagement with diversity has the potential to increase one’s awareness, content
knowledge, cognitive sophistication, and empathic understanding of the complex ways individuals
interact within systems and institutions.

Equity. It refers to creating opportunities for equal access and success for historically
underrepresented populations such as racial and ethnic minority and low-income students, in
three main areas:
o Representational equity, the proportional participation at all levels of an institution; o
Resource equity, the distribution of educational resources in order to close equity gaps;
and
o Equity-mindedness, the demonstration of an awareness of and willingness to address
equity issues among institutional leaders and staff.

Inclusive Excellence. It refers to the achievement of institutional excellence through a sustained

intentional, dynamic, and interactive engagement across a fully diverse campus in all phases of
university life (curricular, co-curricular, research, and outreach). Only with an equitable inclusion
of diverse peoples, perspectives, and pedagogies can optimal teaching, inquiry, artistic
development, and learning occur.

Intercultural Competence. It refers to knowledge of others, knowledge of self, skills to interpret

and relate, skills to discover and/or to interact, valuing others values, beliefs, and behaviors, and
relativizing one's self. Also involves the development of one's skills and attitudes in successfully
interacting with persons of diverse backgrounds (University of Hampshire, 2018).
A simple guide to cultural sensitive and bias-free language

Instead of these following expressions Use these expressions

Words
actress actor
colored or Negro African American
alumna, alumnus graduates, alums
cameraman, camerawoman camera operator
chambermaid housekeeper
church (when speaking in general terms) place of worship
countryman compatriot
cowboy, cowgirl cowhand
Frenchmen the French, French people
garbage man garbage collector
king-size huge, very large
male nurse nurse
Phrases or Expressions
All men are created equal. We are all created equal.
career woman/man career professional
deaf individuals persons with hearing loss
confined to a wheelchair uses a wheelchair, is in a wheelchair
gentleman’s agreement honorable/informal agreement
man the stockroom staff the stockroom
no-man’s-land limbo, unclaimed territory
old people; the elderly seniors; mature
poor country/third-world country developing country
to fire to lay off, to let (someone) go, to restructure

Research
To further enrich your knowledge on culturally sensitive and bias-free language, click on the
following links:
https://www.girardatlarge.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/07/Bias-Free-Language-Guide-
Inclusive-Excellence-073015.pdf

https://academicaffairs.ucsd.edu/_files/aps/adeo/Article_Guide_to_Bias
Free_Communications.pdf
Note: Your teacher might give an examination based on the online documents.

Enhancement: Visit your social media account/s and convert to a platform that observes culturally
sensitive and bias-free language.