Inclusive language
Think carefully about language involving age, race, sex, disabilities and religion. Use objectivity, sensitivity and taste when referring to personal appearance, nationality, age, colour, nationality, creed, sex, religion, sexual orientation and any other categories could potentially insult people or groups.
SFU follows CP Style guidelines for inclusive language.
Aboriginal Peoples
- Use uppercase for Aboriginal Peoples in Canada. That includes all Indian, Inuit and Métis people. Uppercase First Nations as well. Lowercase variations such as indigenous people, aboriginals (except for Aborigines in Australia) and native peoples. Check with the SFU Office for Aboriginal Peoples for current preferred spelling and usage.
- Use the word Indian with discretion. Some people object to it while others, especially status Indians, prefer it.
- Use native advisedly. Aboriginal and First Nations are more specific and are preferred by many in the community.
- Where practical, use the actual name of the community— Tsleil-Waututh, Cree, Wet'suwet'en, Mohawk—rather than a general term. Spell band names the way the band prefers, which is normally the spelling the Canadian government uses.
Names of races
- Capitalize the proper names of races, tribes, nationalities and peoples.
- Examples: Aboriginal Peoples, Arab, Caucasian, Chinese, French-Canadian, Inuit, Jew, Latin, Negro, Asian, Cree, Southeast Asian, South Asian
- Chinese refers to people of Chinese nationality, ancestry or one of numerous Chinese ethnicities.
- Asian (East Asian) refers to residents and descendants of China, Japan, North Korea and South Korea and Taiwan.
- South Asian refers to residents and descendants of India, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, Nepal and the Maldives. Do not use East India, East Indian.
- Southeast Asian refers to residents and descendants of Brunei, Burma (Myanmar), Thailand, The Philippines, Cambodia, Indonesia, East Timor, Laos, Malaysia, Singapore and Vietnam.
- Note that black and white do not name races and are lowercase.
- The term black is appropriate in all references in Canada and the United States. African-American is also used in the United States; in Canada, African-Canadian is used by some people but not by others.
- Generally avoid descriptions such as Polish-Canadian or Jamaican-Canadian, which may put undue emphasis on the person’s ethnic background. They can be used if the individual prefers and/or it is relevant.
Sexism
- Avoid words and phrases that degrade, stereotype or ignore members of either sex or needlessly highlight gender.
- In general, neutralize the gender of occupations or titles that incorporate both sexes.
- Examples:
- police officer, not policeman
- firefighter, not fireman
- business executive, not businessman
- chair, not chairman
- actor, whether male or female
- Where nouns include both genders, use the plural if possible to avoid the use of he (him, his) or she (her, hers).
- Examples:
- Instead of Each student should see his or her supervisor, write: Students should see their supervisors
- Instead of A teacher needs to care about his or her student, write: Teachers need to care about their students.
- Don’t use phrases such as “male secretary” or “lady lawyer”, which imply that some professions or roles are primarily for men or women.
- Beware of implying that men and women behave in stereotypical ways. For example, avoid writing that men are obsessed with sports or women love to shop.
- The word they (them, their) is an increasingly suitable alternative to he (him, his).
- Example:
- Any student can attend as long as they register first.
Sexuality
- As is the case with marital status, sexuality is only referenced when it is relevant to the story.
- Gay is usually preferred as an alternative for homosexual men and is also commonly used for women, although many women prefer lesbian.
- Use sexual orientation instead of sexual preference.
- The terminology is still evolving for people in same-sex relationships or marriages. Partner and husband and wife are acceptable terms.
