Neutral Business Messages

In the news . . .
 Why, where, how/what?

Why?
1. Diversity of culture (includes gender) in human resource
2. It may also invite legal hassles

• Where?
1. Written: all business correspondences
2. Spoken: during most formal gatherings

• How/what can be done?

Work towards a bias-free language
 Why Gender Neutral vocabulary?

• It’s about credibility, not just political correctness

• Unbiased
• Usage of words like he/she
• Or words like it (for others)
• Better words – parties, individuals, partners, adults, people,
etc.
• The word ‘issue’ for inheritance
• Adds to values, beliefs and practices
• Transgender as third person - NALSA v UOI (2014) SC
 What is culture?

• Culture is a shared system of beliefs, attitudes, values, expectations and norms of

behaviour.
• One should understand the element of diversity and difference
• Show willingness to accept other people’s belief with an open mind

• Note: Indian corporate culture also displays bias towards certain community cultures and
practices (ethnocentrism).
 Logic of Neutrality

• It is urged that the use of the masculine pronouns he, his and him in all the
constitutions and laws, is proof that only men were meant to be included in
their provisions. If you insist on this version of the letter of the law, we shall
insist that you be consistent and accept the other horn of the dilemma,
which would compel you to exempt women from taxation for the support of
the government and from penalties for the violation of laws. There is no she
or her or hers in the tax laws, and this is equally true of all the criminal laws.
- Susan B Anthony (Presidential Election, 1872)
 Discuss

• What is your experience of communicating across cultures? Has there been

any misunderstandings, prejudices, assumptions or ethnocentrism?

Displayed by you or others?

 Non-Neutral clause in Indian law

Section 64 of the Code of Criminal Procedure (Cr. P. C.) 1973 reads as under:
• Service when persons summoned cannot be found—Where the person
summoned cannot, by the exercise of due diligence, be found, the
summons may be served by leaving one of the duplicates for him with some
adult male member of his family residing with him, and the person with
whom the summons is so left shall, if so required by the serving officer, sign
a receipt therefore on the back of the other duplicate.

Ref.: Chhaya Tyagi. Does ‘He’ include ‘She’ ? Some thoughts on Sec. 64 of CrPC. Economic and
Political Weekly. LII.10. March 11, 2011
 Checklist for neutral communication

Show respect = gestures, eye contact, symbols, signs, etc.

Show empathy
Do not pre-judge but be open-minded
Avoid distractions (community or cultural attire)
Be patient
Look for similarities
Send clear messages and treat people as individuals
Recognise your prejudices
 Bias-free

• A language that doesn’t discriminate against people on the basis of sex,

physical condition, race, age, or any other category.

• Case: BCI age limit notification of 20 years

 Towards a bias-free language

Non-sexist: words and phrases, job titles, courtesy titles, and pronouns
Nonracist and non-agist
Talking about people with disabilities and diseases (ailments)
 Please also note:

1. Reader’s position = Dear Registrar:

2. Manipulative flattery = Dear Careful Customer:
 International Neutral Vocabulary
• Refer to a group by the term it prefers
E.g. African-American instead of coloured.

• Focus on people and not their conditions

E.g. People with hearing impairments instead of deaf

• Avoid language that discriminates older people

E.g. Senior citizen instead of old people

• Use third person pronoun if possible

E.g. Good reporters need to verify their sources.
 Some substitutes
Sexist Nonbiased
• chairman chair, moderator
• common man average individual
• congressman representative, legislator, politician
• policeman police officer
• stewardess flight attendant
• fireman firefighter
• old wives’ tale superstition
• Mankind humanity, people
 Attempt neutral words / sentences

• The girl at the front desk.

• The ladies on our staff . . .
• You and your husband or wife are cordially invited.
• Manhours / Manpower / Manning
• Businessman / Chairman / Person / Woman lawyer / Workman
• Ms. Kaveri Mukherjee is our new physician.
• Ms. Roshan Dalvi is from Bombay High Court.
• Supervisors must certify that the time sheets for his department are
correct.