{"id":410,"date":"2019-03-14T21:31:45","date_gmt":"2019-03-14T21:31:45","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/courses.lumenlearning.com\/suny-esc-communicationforprofessionals\/?post_type=chapter&p=410"},"modified":"2019-09-26T15:01:43","modified_gmt":"2019-09-26T15:01:43","slug":"eliminating-bias-in-langauge","status":"publish","type":"chapter","link":"https:\/\/courses.lumenlearning.com\/suny-esc-communicationforprofessionals\/chapter\/eliminating-bias-in-langauge\/","title":{"raw":"Eliminating Bias in Language","rendered":"Eliminating Bias in Language"},"content":{"raw":"\"\"\r\n\r\nBias free writing strives to be egalitarian, so one person or group is not factored out from the rest. The word \u201cegalitarian\u201d comes from the root \u201cequal.\u201d To be egalitarian is to believe in basic equality: that all people should share equally in the benefits and burdens of a society. It means that everyone is entitled to the same respect, expectations, access to information, and rewards of participation in a group.\r\n

To communicate in an egalitarian manner, speak and write in a way that respects all of your listeners or readers, not just those who are \u201clike you\u201d in terms of age, gender, race or ethnicity, or other characteristics.<\/p>\r\n\r\n

Bias Free Language<\/h2>\r\nCommunicators should try to be clear and direct in meaning, and drawing attention to details about race, age, country of origin, disability, gender, or politics in the workplace might cause conscious or unconscious bias. When crafting your communication think about who will be affected by what you say and how you say it.\r\n\r\nA simple rule for using bias-free language is to consider whether personal details need to be included to get the point across.\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n
Avoid<\/th>\r\nTry<\/th>\r\n<\/tr>\r\n<\/thead>\r\n
Franklin is the new African-American accountant.<\/td>\r\nFranklin is the new accountant.<\/td>\r\n<\/tr>\r\n
For someone nearing retirement, she learned that new software quickly.<\/td>\r\nShe learned that new software quickly.<\/td>\r\n<\/tr>\r\n
Abdul has some of the highest call center ratings, even though his Saudi accent is strong.<\/td>\r\nAbdul has some of the highest call center ratings.<\/td>\r\n<\/tr>\r\n
John is one of our most active employees, even though he must use a wheelchair.<\/td>\r\nJohn is one of our most active employees.<\/td>\r\n<\/tr>\r\n
Did the cleaning woman bring new trash bags?<\/td>\r\nDid the cleaner bring new trash bags?<\/td>\r\n<\/tr>\r\n
Do we have enough manpower to finish this project?<\/td>\r\nDo we have enough staff to finish this project?<\/td>\r\n<\/tr>\r\n<\/tbody>\r\n<\/table>\r\n

Avoiding Gender Bias<\/h3>\r\nCommunicating in a non-sexist way requires the ability to recognize sexism in the first place. The next hurdle is to figure out a way to eliminate any inherent sexism without disrupting the flow of the communication. Here are a few techniques to help avoid bias.\r\n

Gendered Nouns<\/h4>\r\nUse gender-neutral words when referring individuals in various positions:\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n
Avoid<\/th>\r\nTry<\/th>\r\n<\/tr>\r\n<\/thead>\r\n
businessman, businesswoman<\/td>\r\nbusiness executive<\/td>\r\n<\/tr>\r\n
chairman, chairwoman<\/td>\r\nchairperson<\/td>\r\n<\/tr>\r\n
the common man<\/td>\r\nthe average person<\/td>\r\n<\/tr>\r\n
salesman, saleswoman<\/td>\r\nsalesperson, sales clerk, marketer<\/td>\r\n<\/tr>\r\n<\/tbody>\r\n<\/table>\r\n

Gendered Pronouns<\/h4>\r\nConsider how you use gendered pronouns. Using he<\/em>\u00a0as a generic pronoun shows a strong bias towards male individuals. Instead\u00a0you can use \u201che or she\u201d (\u201chis or her\") as the pronoun for a generic noun.\u00a0 It's now acceptable to use the plural pronoun \"they\" as a singular pronoun, to be inclusive and to avoid awkwardness by using too many \"he\/she\" constructions. You can also eliminate singular nouns and use plural nouns and pronouns as appropriate.\r\n\r\nFor example, traditional rules of English grammar call for a singular pronoun to agree with a singular subject: \u201cSomeone will call you to further discuss the issue. He<\/em> or she<\/em> will call between 9:00 and 10:00 tomorrow morning.\u201d Contemporary usage of English allows a plural pronoun in this case to avoid gender bias: \"Someone will call you to further discuss the issue.\u00a0 They<\/em> will call between 9:00 and 10:00 tomorrow morning.\" Or, in this situation, you may want to omit the pronoun: \u201cSomeone will call you to further discuss the issue. You can expect the call between 9:00 and 10:00 tomorrow morning.\u201d\u00a0 Here are a few more examples:\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n
Avoid<\/th>\r\n<\/th>\r\nTry<\/th>\r\n<\/tr>\r\n<\/thead>\r\n
Every employee should file his report by the end of the day.<\/td>\r\nor...<\/td>\r\nEvery employee should file his or her report by the end of the day.<\/td>\r\n<\/tr>\r\n
Every employee should file their report by the end of the day.<\/td>\r\n<\/tr>\r\n
All employees should file their reports by the end of the day.<\/td>\r\n<\/tr>\r\n
When filing the report, each employee should make sure he includes yesterday\u2019s data.<\/td>\r\nor...<\/td>\r\nWhen filing the report, each employee should make sure he or she includes yesterday\u2019s data.<\/td>\r\n<\/tr>\r\n
When filing the report, each employee should make sure they include yesterday\u2019s data.<\/td>\r\n<\/tr>\r\n
When filing the report, employees should make sure they include yesterday's data.<\/td>\r\n<\/tr>\r\n<\/tbody>\r\n<\/table>\r\n

Avoiding Race, Ethnicity, and Religious Bias<\/h3>\r\nIn professional communications, do not mention a person\u2019s race, ethnicity, or religion unless it is directly relevant to the situation. If you need to speak about a racial or ethnic group, deciding which term to use can be a tricky subject because the ascribed meaning to particular terms and labels can frequently change. It may be best to research online or ask a member of that group about preferred language. If you need to mention a religious group, do so in a straighforward way that does not demean the religion or portray it as \"other\" than the norm.\r\n

Avoiding Disability Bias<\/h3>\r\nAvoid using labeled nouns when talking about people with disabilities. Try to use emotionally neutral expressions rather than ones that assign a role, such as\u00a0victim<\/em>.\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n
Avoid<\/th>\r\nTry<\/th>\r\n<\/tr>\r\n<\/thead>\r\n
the disabled<\/td>\r\npeople with disabilities \/ people who are differently abled<\/td>\r\n<\/tr>\r\n
the schizophrenic<\/td>\r\nthe person diagnosed with schizophrenia<\/td>\r\n<\/tr>\r\n
an AIDS victim<\/td>\r\na person with AIDS<\/td>\r\n<\/tr>\r\n
a person suffering from epilepsy<\/td>\r\na person with epilepsy<\/td>\r\n<\/tr>\r\n
handicapped<\/td>\r\naccessible<\/td>\r\n<\/tr>\r\n
normal \/ healthy<\/td>\r\npeople without disabilities<\/td>\r\n<\/tr>\r\n<\/tbody>\r\n<\/table>\r\nThe National Disability Authority has a useful web page that discusses Appropriate Terms to Use<\/a>, to avoid disability bias in your communications.\r\n

Summary<\/h3>\r\nThe following video offers a brief review of the concept of bias in professional language, and how to avoid it.\r\n\r\nhttps:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch?v=3IRviCpH_jg","rendered":"

\"\"<\/p>\n

Bias free writing strives to be egalitarian, so one person or group is not factored out from the rest. The word \u201cegalitarian\u201d comes from the root \u201cequal.\u201d To be egalitarian is to believe in basic equality: that all people should share equally in the benefits and burdens of a society. It means that everyone is entitled to the same respect, expectations, access to information, and rewards of participation in a group.<\/p>\n

To communicate in an egalitarian manner, speak and write in a way that respects all of your listeners or readers, not just those who are \u201clike you\u201d in terms of age, gender, race or ethnicity, or other characteristics.<\/p>\n

Bias Free Language<\/h2>\n

Communicators should try to be clear and direct in meaning, and drawing attention to details about race, age, country of origin, disability, gender, or politics in the workplace might cause conscious or unconscious bias. When crafting your communication think about who will be affected by what you say and how you say it.<\/p>\n

A simple rule for using bias-free language is to consider whether personal details need to be included to get the point across.<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n
Avoid<\/th>\nTry<\/th>\n<\/tr>\n<\/thead>\n
Franklin is the new African-American accountant.<\/td>\nFranklin is the new accountant.<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
For someone nearing retirement, she learned that new software quickly.<\/td>\nShe learned that new software quickly.<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Abdul has some of the highest call center ratings, even though his Saudi accent is strong.<\/td>\nAbdul has some of the highest call center ratings.<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
John is one of our most active employees, even though he must use a wheelchair.<\/td>\nJohn is one of our most active employees.<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Did the cleaning woman bring new trash bags?<\/td>\nDid the cleaner bring new trash bags?<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Do we have enough manpower to finish this project?<\/td>\nDo we have enough staff to finish this project?<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n

Avoiding Gender Bias<\/h3>\n

Communicating in a non-sexist way requires the ability to recognize sexism in the first place. The next hurdle is to figure out a way to eliminate any inherent sexism without disrupting the flow of the communication. Here are a few techniques to help avoid bias.<\/p>\n

Gendered Nouns<\/h4>\n

Use gender-neutral words when referring individuals in various positions:<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n
Avoid<\/th>\nTry<\/th>\n<\/tr>\n<\/thead>\n
businessman, businesswoman<\/td>\nbusiness executive<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
chairman, chairwoman<\/td>\nchairperson<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
the common man<\/td>\nthe average person<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
salesman, saleswoman<\/td>\nsalesperson, sales clerk, marketer<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n

Gendered Pronouns<\/h4>\n

Consider how you use gendered pronouns. Using he<\/em>\u00a0as a generic pronoun shows a strong bias towards male individuals. Instead\u00a0you can use \u201che or she\u201d (\u201chis or her”) as the pronoun for a generic noun.\u00a0 It’s now acceptable to use the plural pronoun “they” as a singular pronoun, to be inclusive and to avoid awkwardness by using too many “he\/she” constructions. You can also eliminate singular nouns and use plural nouns and pronouns as appropriate.<\/p>\n

For example, traditional rules of English grammar call for a singular pronoun to agree with a singular subject: \u201cSomeone will call you to further discuss the issue. He<\/em> or she<\/em> will call between 9:00 and 10:00 tomorrow morning.\u201d Contemporary usage of English allows a plural pronoun in this case to avoid gender bias: “Someone will call you to further discuss the issue.\u00a0 They<\/em> will call between 9:00 and 10:00 tomorrow morning.” Or, in this situation, you may want to omit the pronoun: \u201cSomeone will call you to further discuss the issue. You can expect the call between 9:00 and 10:00 tomorrow morning.\u201d\u00a0 Here are a few more examples:<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n
Avoid<\/th>\n<\/th>\nTry<\/th>\n<\/tr>\n<\/thead>\n
Every employee should file his report by the end of the day.<\/td>\nor…<\/td>\nEvery employee should file his or her report by the end of the day.<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Every employee should file their report by the end of the day.<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
All employees should file their reports by the end of the day.<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
When filing the report, each employee should make sure he includes yesterday\u2019s data.<\/td>\nor…<\/td>\nWhen filing the report, each employee should make sure he or she includes yesterday\u2019s data.<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
When filing the report, each employee should make sure they include yesterday\u2019s data.<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
When filing the report, employees should make sure they include yesterday’s data.<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n

Avoiding Race, Ethnicity, and Religious Bias<\/h3>\n

In professional communications, do not mention a person\u2019s race, ethnicity, or religion unless it is directly relevant to the situation. If you need to speak about a racial or ethnic group, deciding which term to use can be a tricky subject because the ascribed meaning to particular terms and labels can frequently change. It may be best to research online or ask a member of that group about preferred language. If you need to mention a religious group, do so in a straighforward way that does not demean the religion or portray it as “other” than the norm.<\/p>\n

Avoiding Disability Bias<\/h3>\n

Avoid using labeled nouns when talking about people with disabilities. Try to use emotionally neutral expressions rather than ones that assign a role, such as\u00a0victim<\/em>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n
Avoid<\/th>\nTry<\/th>\n<\/tr>\n<\/thead>\n
the disabled<\/td>\npeople with disabilities \/ people who are differently abled<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
the schizophrenic<\/td>\nthe person diagnosed with schizophrenia<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
an AIDS victim<\/td>\na person with AIDS<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
a person suffering from epilepsy<\/td>\na person with epilepsy<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
handicapped<\/td>\naccessible<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
normal \/ healthy<\/td>\npeople without disabilities<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n

The National Disability Authority has a useful web page that discusses Appropriate Terms to Use<\/a>, to avoid disability bias in your communications.<\/p>\n

Summary<\/h3>\n

The following video offers a brief review of the concept of bias in professional language, and how to avoid it.<\/p>\n