The Conscious Language Newsletter: July 2022

July 25, 2022

Note From the Founder

A delightful slew of style guides and other formal guidance on conscious style came out recently. Rather than quietly adding them to Conscious Style Guide per usual, I decided to spotlight and celebrate them in this issue. You’ll find most listed in the “Resources” column on their respective pages; if not, look under “Articles.” Enjoy!

From the World of Conscious Language

New Style Guides

  • A Guide to Conscious Editing at Wilson Special Collections Library (The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill University Libraries)

  • Style Guidance (Language, Please)

  • “The Alt Text Issue” (Accessible Social)

  • First Nations Language Guidelines (Dementia Support Australia)

In More:

  • “Your Guide to Environmental Justice Language” (Greenpeace)

  • Telling Age-Inclusive Stories (Shutterstock and American Society on Aging)

Cultural consultants in Hollywood help filmmakers portray misrepresented communities more accurately.

“If you don’t identify with the term, that’s ok. But what you can’t deny is other people’s use of the term or invalidate them when they use it.”

“That description can be appreciated by someone who is blind or someone who wants to know more about astronomy or anyone who appreciates the care that goes into choosing just the right word.”

“Dictionary.com recently added ‘unhoused’ to their database as a unique term suitable for replacing ‘homeless.’”

“Being unafraid to ask the question—’Is that ableist?’—is a crucial step in unraveling our society’s entrenched biases and discrimination against disabled people.”

Promotional graphic shows book cover and an inside spread for So Not Ghoul. Book cover: The blue- and purple-toned book cover has Mimi, a smiling Chinese American girl ghost, on the left, next to a white cat, who is giving side-eye to three girl ghouls sneering at Mimi. Inside spread: On the left page, the same three ghouls look unkindly at Mimi and her cat, on the right page. They are outside a classroom, by the lockers. Text above:

From the Archives

“Under [Steve] Kleinedler’s leadership, The American Heritage Dictionary has been a quiet force for progress in conscious language.”

In Case You Missed It

Write about antisemitism without perpetuating stereotypes, reach skeptics of climate change, and more.

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].