The Conscious Language Newsletter: August 2022

August 22, 2022

From the World of Conscious Language

Note: The authors’ viewpoints are not necessarily shared by Conscious Style Guide.

“It’s a wink to the queer community.”

“New research finds the visuals of heat-wave news coverage are more likely to put a positive spin on extreme heat than the articles themselves.”

The editor of the Chicago Sun-Times reveals the conversations and processes that informed her decision to publish a photo of victims of the Highland Park shooting.

“Reportedly the first of its kind worldwide, the law uses entirely gender-inclusive language…The statute ‘applies to transgender and non-binary people who menstruate and not just to women and girls.’”

The eagerly anticipated Oxford Dictionary for African American English will include “a historical record of the original contributor or contributors of the word or phrase.”

“Centering disabled voices is one of the best ways to avoid infantilization.”

On a swirly blue background are three graphics above the words,

“In this particular conversation, silencing Black disabled people means important nuance is lost.”

“Instead of saying ‘el hombre’ [mankind], an inclusive possibility would be ‘la humanidad’ [humanity]. Instead of saying ‘los ciudadanos’ [citizens], we could use ‘la ciudadanía’ [population].” —Gina Jaramillo, editorial director, Chilango

“The first step might well be to clear the space for [disabled creators’] voices by refusing to publish any more bad representations of disability by nondisabled authors.” —James Catchpole, author and literary agent

“‘How can I be useful to you?’ asks, ‘How can I support you as you take responsibility for yourself?’. It introduces doctor and patient as co-creators within the consultation.”

“Being plastic is a colonised term…We hope people who see this work of ours and relate to it know that having Māori or Tokelau or Indian blood, that that’s enough to be from that culture.” —Jordan Tane, student, AUT School of Art and Design

“We explain everything you need to know about gender-neutral pronouns and gender pronouns as a whole, as well as provide a list of pronouns used today.”

CSG in the News

“Developing a sense of what to look for and becoming more aware of how certain groups are vulnerable or left out are a great start.”

From the Archives

 How Sexist Language Hurts Men | Conscious Style Guide

“Stereotyping one gender means simultaneously stereotyping another.”

In Case You Missed It

A spotlight on recently published style guides.

The Conscious Style Guide newsletter rounds up the best news and blog posts from the world of kind, compassionate, mindful, empowering, respectful, and inclusive language. Note: Spotlighting an opinion is not intended as an endorsement. Please send news tips to [email protected].