What Is Inclusive Language?

This guide invites the College family to aim for inclusive language when writing for the College. Inclusive language involves awareness of their intended audience and reflects the College's Core Values by creating content that is accessible, respectful of differences, and as free as possible from bias.

Bias is "prejudice in favor of or against one thing, person, or group compared with another, usually in a way considered to be unfair" (New Oxford American Dictionary 2015). In writing, bias comes through in one's tone, the assumptions one makes about their audience, and the words and phrases one chooses.
Effective texts that reflect the College's Mission require deliberate, respectful choices for how they refer to different groups that make up the learning community. Thus, this guide advocates for people-first and identity-first language that recognizes "the dignity of us all."

Bias can be internalized and unintentional, and everyone carries, to some degree, a bit of bias. Therefore, one needs to be mindful of the language they use. Learning to express information this way is a process that can take time to get accustomed to. Showing good intentions, extending courtesy, and exercising patience can go a long way in terms of facilitating acclimation.

Who Is This Guide For?

If you write for the College, this guide is for you. The College is a kaleidoscope of people, interests, approaches, and viewpoints working together to offer a distinct, vibrant community college where students succeed. Inclusive language is a powerful tool for advancing this work.

This guide is not about language policing or political correctness. You will not find rules here or instructions on which words are "right" or "wrong." We offer guidance and examples, but we recognize that trying to pin down language does not contribute to our goal of effective communication. Inclusive language, rather, is about acknowledging that words matter and that we as writers can create meaning across differences when we use words with thoughtfulness and care.

At Community College of Philadelphia (CCP), we need to be adaptable, and one way we can ensure the College's mission remains relevant in a rapidly changing world is to embrace the many ways language changes. This guide invites reflection, discussion, and considered choices to help people writing for CCP strive for inclusive language. This guide offers principles and practical suggestions to help us carry out this important work.

How Can I Contribute?

Language is constantly changing, and the style guide committee welcomes your input to help us shape a responsive and inclusive guide. This is an ongoing effort. Your input will ensure this document continually improves and accurately, fairly, and compassionately refers to and speaks to our many and varied audiences. This guide will be updated as needed .

Resources Consulted

Thank you to Chemeketa Community College for sharing their 2024 guide, on which we based this document . That guide was based upon the Associated Press (AP) Handbook, and many entries reflect AP style, especially when no other guidance could be found. CCP's general editorial style follows AP style. Additional Resources and References are listed at the end of this document.

Guiding Principles for Inclusive Language

Words are powerful and can empower others. This fundamental belief rests at the heart of these guiding principles for inclusive language. The following six principles are designed to help you make writing choices that achieve more inclusive language:

1. Know your audience and purpose.
2. Take your time.
3. Be precise.
4. Put people first.
5. Invite feedback.
6. Expect change.

Principle 1: Know Your Audience and Purpose

Be aware of your audience, subject, and goals when writing. Knowing this context can help you write more effectively and inclusively. Words that might be appropriate in one situation or with a specific audience group may not be appropriate for another. Research and reader feedback may be necessary.

1. Determine whether person-first language or identity-first language is best suited for your audience and purpose.
   
   Both person-first and identity-first language can be inclusive ways of writing about others. Person-first language describes the individual first ("a person who is blind" or "a person who uses a wheelchair"). Identity-first language describes the individual's belonging to a group first ("Deaf students" or "autistic person"). See the sections on Neurodiversity and People with Disabilities for further discussion of person-first and identity-first language.
   
2. Always ask.
   
   When writing directly to or about an individual, ask about their pronouns ("What pronouns do you use?"), their title ("Should I refer to you as President Howard or Dr. Howard?"), and the spelling of their name ("Is it Van Stavern or Vanstavern?").

Principle 2: Take Your Time

When you rush, you're more likely to make assumptions, rely on generalizations, or use stereotypes or shortcuts that limit your ability to achieve inclusive language. Language changes constantly, but accepted usage and common usage are not always in sync, especially when it comes to terminology that describes individuals or groups of people. Terms that were accepted ten years ago or even two years ago may no longer be accepted. Likewise, just because a term is making the rounds on social media does not mean it is universally accepted. Building in time to review your document and have other people read it and provide feedback, specifically members of your intended audience, is an important step toward inclusive writing.

Principle 3: Be Precise

Bias often creeps into writing through imprecise word choice. Use care when describing people and their differences, but don't ignore differences, which is another kind of imprecision. Here are two steps you can take to ensure precision in your writing:

1. Determine the appropriate amount of detail required to achieve your purpose.
   
   Ask yourself which descriptions are essential and relevant to your message. Including irrelevant details, even those you intend as positive or complimentary, can lead to a lack of clarity. A course described as "academically rigorous," for example, has different meanings depending on your audience and who is using the term. Describing the course content and how its demands ensure student success is more likely to convey your message clearly.
   
2. Choose an appropriate level of specificity for the details you've selected.
   
   Once you've determined what details are necessary to achieve your purpose, take some time to choose how to refer to these details specifically. For example, if you've determined that age is a relevant detail in the text you're writing, opt for an exact age or age range. If you're writing about disability, names of specific conditions are preferable to general references.

Principle 4: Put People First

Successful writing keeps the audience in mind. As you aim for inclusive language, consider how an audience member of a group you are writing about would feel about your word choice. Here are three ways to recognize and respect the people you are writing about:

1. Recognize each person's unique experiences by avoiding labels or assumptions that lump people together.
   
   For example, "the homeless" or "the poor" or "the elderly" are all phrases that use adjectives as nouns to stand in for a group of people. Instead, try descriptive phrases that recognize the group's humanity: people without housing, people living in poverty, or older adults.
   
2. Acknowledge a wide range of cultural norms and standards rather than linking the dominant culture group with what's normal or typical.
   
   Bias can creep into writing when an author uses language that implies that one group is the standard. This can happen in subtle ways, such as always listing the dominant group first (i.e., men and women) or using "we" to communicate what's considered normal (i.e., "we as citizens know the importance of voting").
   
3. Define people by what they are and not by what they lack.
   
   This guide recommends describing people using asset-based rather than deficit-based language. When you use asset-based language, you focus on an individual's strengths, abilities, and unique qualities.

Principle 5: Invite Feedback

One of the best ways to recognize bias in your writing and identify how to become more inclusive is to ask someone else to read your work or consider your terms. In many cases, you can ask a person from the group you are describing to review your work. Be respectful of people's time and energy when asking for feedback. When you invite feedback, you must be prepared to change in response to that feedback, which leads to Principle 6: Expect Change.

Principle 6: Expect Change

Not only does language change, but so do preferences, sensibilities, priorities, and audience expectations. You will make mistakes because the language is undergoing rapid changes and reorganization. The key is to acknowledge mistakes when they do happen and work swiftly to correct them. This principle also means that if you see something harmful or offensive in another person's writing, whether intentional or not, you address it respectfully and give people the opportunity to change.

People with Disabilities

When writing about anyone with a disability—whether physical, intellectual, psychological, or emotional—always strive for person-first language or identity-first language (see Principle 1). This means asking the individual about the terms they prefer. When writing about a group that may have different perspectives on terminology, use person-first language, as recommended by the Americans with Disabilities Act. Avoid stigmatizing language that defines a person based on disability status. For example, you would refer to a "student who has epilepsy" but not an "epileptic." 

If you are writing about someone with a disability, whether visible or not, make sure they are aware of how much detail and information you will be sharing about their disability and ask them to review the content before it is published. If the disability is not part of the story and there isn't a need to include it, don't. Avoid using disability as a metaphor ("he was blind to the implications") or in casual references ("I'm OCD about grammar" or "I'm crazy about spreadsheets"). Likewise, do not make assumptions about people, nor diagnose individuals who have not given you their permission ("she's on the spectrum").

Use accessible when describing a space, location or event that is modified to comply with the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990. For example, use accessible parking instead of handicapped parking.

Guidance: Use of Ableist Language

People with disabilities are typically not suffering from a disease or illness, therefore they should not be referred to as "patients," unless they are in a healthcare setting. To show inclusiveness and sensitivity to students, you may want to refer to them as "students who are receiving services," which may include physical or mental help, or "students with a disability."

Guidance: Use of Identity-First Language

As with any other categories discussed in this guide, please ask the individual. Be aware that some people will prefer identity-centered language rather than person-centered language. In the Deaf community, for example, the term "Deaf" (with a capital "D") has the connotation of cultural identity for some, so it would be appropriate to use "Deaf person" instead of "person who is deaf" if the individual expresses this preference.

Quick Reference: People with Disabilities

Terms	Try instead	Notes
afflicted with; confined to (a wheelchair); suffers from;	has [specific disability]; uses a wheelchair	Use precise and person-first descriptions that avoid editorializing the individual's experience.
able-bodied or normal	person who does not have a disability	When comparing people with and without disabilities, use neutral terms that don't make assumptions about what is the norm.
challenged, differently abled, handicapable, special needs	person with a disability	Avoid cute terms or vague euphemisms, which are considered condescending.

For a further discussion of terms not included here, see Resources available below.

Neurodiversity

Members of the College are neurodiverse with a wide range of support needs, as is true of every community. While we all have unique ways of experiencing and interacting with the world and others, neurodivergence is frequently used as a summary term for those with a neurotype, or developmental condition, outside the neurotypical majority. Neurodivergent brains understand the world and interpret sensory and social information differently from neurotypical ones. Some examples of neurodivergence include autism spectrum conditions, attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), learning disabilities such as dyslexia, and a variety of other neurological and learning differences or disabilities. A person's behavior or appearance does not necessarily signal their belonging to a particular group. There is no particular way neurodivergence "presents" in a person. Be mindful of assigning terms to people who have not self-identified.

Also, keep in mind that those that are neurodivergent may express themselves differently. What you may perceive as a slight, might just be a different communication style. Try to take this into consideration when interacting with others.

This aspect of our community's diversity requires particular care in writing . Preferred terminology varies. Some prefer person-first language (such as "a person with autism"); others prefer identity-first language (such as "an autistic person"); others are indifferent. The best approaches are to ask people you are writing about for their preferred terms, consult advocacy groups and their resources, and find people within the community you are writing about to provide feedback, as we do throughout this guide.

Quick Reference: Neurodiversity

Term	Related terms	Notes
Autism	Autism Spectrum (Condition or Disorder)	A term describing a neurological variance from the larger population impacting how people interact and learn, often used in the context of a medical condition
Autistic identity	Autistic culture	Refers to autism as an identity, validating lived experience.
Neuro-affirming	Inclusive	This term refers to a point of view affirming the far-ranging neurodiversity of all humans. Neuro-affirming and inclusive people and spaces are associated with safety for people who identify as neurodivergent.
Neurodivergent	Neurotypical	Neurodivergent is often used to refer to people who identify with neurological variations such as autism or obsessive-compulsive tendencies/conditions (OCD) and such learning challenges as dyslexia. Neurotypical describes individuals within a more common range of brain functioning differences.
Neurodiversity	Neurodiverse	Refers to the broad range of neurological variations in all humans.
On the spectrum	Neurodiverse	Refers to one's experience of autism as a complex spectrum of traits, characteristics, and support needs

Guidance: Use of Underrepresented and Underserved

Underrepresented refers to populations that are represented at disproportionately low levels in any given field. Historically, this means this is a 10-year or longer trend.

Underrepresented minorities (URMs) is a term often used in government reporting and refers to Black or African Americans, American Indians/Alaska Natives, and Latine who have historically comprised a minority of the U.S. population. The term is also used for groups who are under-represented as compared to their community population percentage to their percentage in certain fields, such as STEM or CTE. The term is mostly used for reporting aggregate student data.

Underserved students are defined as those who do not receive equitable resources as other students on their academic journeys. Typically, these groups of students include low-income, racial/ethnic minorities ("people of color" or "students of color" is preferable to "minorities"), LGBTQ+, students with disabilities, and first-generation students, among others.

Races and ethnicities that are often included within the underserved category in government-related work are African American, American Indian/Alaska Native, Hispanic/Latino, and Native Hawaiian/other Pacific Islander. While this definition can be limiting, broadening this category to include other racially minoritized groups specific to our local community is advised.

Deaf Community

Some common terms that are generally viewed as offensive within the Deaf community include "hearing impaired," "deaf-mute," and "deaf and dumb." These terms have some intrinsic problems, such as a deficit framing that assumes that deafness is negative, but also have contextual issues, where usage of those terms indicates the user is unfamiliar with the Deaf community. While, again, the Deaf community is large and diverse, and there are varied preferences within that community, it is generally best to avoid these terms. It is also best to avoid framing deafness in terms pertinent only to the hearing/spoken world. For instance, one does not "speak sign language"; they sign or use ASL. Additionally, interpreters should not be called translators as they are not working with text or words alone but rather interpreting a spoken language into a visual one or vice versa. Lastly, you may notice the word deaf written with a capital D sometimes. This refers to one who identifies as a member of the Deaf community and culture. However, not all deaf people identify in this way, so they may opt for the small D. To reflect this variation in identification, some people will write d/Deaf to be more inclusive. 

Appendix: Additional Resources

The following resources expand on the information provided in this guide. We suggest consulting these resources and considering them together with the Guiding Principles described in this guide.

General

1. APA Stylebook: Bias-Free Language (APA Publication Manual, 7th edition, 2019)
2. APA Inclusive Language Guidelines (American Psychological Association, 2021)
3. Chicago Manual of Style: Bias-Free Language (see CMOS 5.251–60; access through Chemeketa's library database)
4. Conscious Style Guide (online database, search by topic)
5. Diversity/Inclusivity Style Guide (California State University)
6. The Diversity Style Guide (San Francisco State University)
7. Guidelines for Inclusive Language (Linguistic Society of America, 2016)
8. Inclusive Writing Guide (City of Portland, 2022)
9. Oregon HECC Equity Lens (State of Oregon, 2021)
10. Racial Equity Tools Glossary (MP Associates, Center for Assessment and Policy Development, and World Trust Educational Services, 2021)
11. Radical Copyeditor (online database, search by topic)
12. Your Guide to College Writing from Chemeketa Press: See pages that cover slanted and exclusionary language.

People with Disabilities

1. Guidelines for Writing About People with Disabilities (Spanish version)
2. Conscious Style Guide: Ability and Disability
3. National Center on Disability and Journalism Disability Language Style Guide
4. Person-First and Identity-First Language (Employer Assistance and Resource Network on Disability Inclusion: Advancing Workforce Diversity)
5. Style Guide: Reporting on Mental Health
6. Writing Respectfully: Person-First and Identity-First Language from the National Institutes of Health

References

Associated Press. The Associated Press Stylebook. 56th ed. New York: Basic Books, 2022.
New Oxford American Dictionary. 3rd ed. s.v. "bias." Edited by Angus Stevenson and Christine A. Lindberg. New York: Oxford University Press, 2015.