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- The Conscious Language Newsletter: June 2022
The Conscious Language Newsletter: June 2022
From the World of Conscious Language
8 Tips to Help Journalists Cover Antisemitism—and Avoid Inadvertently Perpetuating Antisemitic Stereotypes | The Journalist’s Resource
“Cover antisemitism the same way you might treat any kind of bigotry.”
“Maybe the most honest and authentic way to represent a community’s past and present is to make room for the messiness.”
Alternatives to “No pain, no gain,” “Burn off that dessert,” and other unskillful phrases.
Why Some People Use She/They & He/They Pronouns | LGBTQ Nation
“Rolling pronouns refer to the use of multiple pronouns that can be used alternately or shift over time.”
Why WHO Wants to Rename Monkeypox | Advisory Board
“The mainstream media, instead of showing pictures of people that are presenting with the lesions, which are white men, they keep putting forward pictures of children in Africa and Africans. And there’s no connection.” —Christian Happi, director, @acegid
Want to Reach Skeptics? Researchers Suggest Leaving the Term “Climate Change” Out of Some News Coverage | The Journalist’s Resource
“An experiment finds small changes in framing and word choice can elicit significant changes in how science skeptics engage with news coverage of climate change.”
Non-Gendered Language for Calling Jews to the Torah Gets Conservative Movement Approval | Jewish Telegraphic Agency
“The new teshuva is a codification of a practice that has already existed in spaces led by trans and non-binary Jews, said Laynie Soloman, a non-binary rabbi and one of the co-founders of the Trans Halakha Project.”
“[Black disabled activist Vilissa Thompson] believes that the way people go about critiquing others is very important. [Discussions online] perpetuated anti-Blackness and misogynoir.”
“The alternative, using a gender-marking approach, can be useful to highlight women and nonbinary people’s successes in a normally male-dominated field.”
“When we use mental health and trauma language too casually (or, worse, inaccurately), we water down its impact, ultimately strengthening mental health stigma instead of neutralizing it.”
“The language health professional commonly use can belittle or cast doubts on patients and their complaints…an analysis published in the BMJ argues.”
What’s Wrong With the Word “Minority”? | Fast Company
“Consider why you’re using [the word ‘minority’] and ask yourself whom it actually benefits.”
“Simply put, [Google Translate] runs on available information. Unfortunately, this information is significantly biased.”
Blaming “Evil” for Mass Violence Isn’t as Simple as It Seems—a Philosopher Unpacks the Paradox in Using the Word | The Conversation
“It’s constructive to blame people, however, when blame helps to hold them responsible. Unfortunately, that important role is undermined when the target of blame is ‘evil.’”
From the Archives
How l—a Jewish Writer—Approach Sensitivity Reads for Authors Who Write Jewish Characters | Conscious Style Guide
“When something an author writes doesn’t ring true, feasible, or authentic to the reader, the reader may end up questioning what else the author got wrong.”
In Case You Missed It
Why NPR doesn’t use the word “manifesto,” the effects of the media’s adoption of anti-abortion rhetoric, and how choosing terms like “care partner” can make a positive difference in our view and support of people living with dementia.
You Need This Soft Tee!
Make peace with words! This super soft T-shirt is hand-printed to order in your choice of shirt and ink colors as well as style (fitted or straight-cut). Every purchase supports two woman- and POC-owned businesses. Why make peace? Read the article by CSG founder Karen Yin.
Shopping for Picture Books?
On DiversePictureBooks.com (our Bookshop.org storefront), find exceptional picture books that spread understanding, compassion, and joy through diverse representation. We earn a commission on all orders.
We’re Waiting for You!
Are you on Facebook? Join our closed Conscious Language + Design Facebook Group to learn, share, and chat with others who are curious or serious about conscious language.
100+ Diverse Databases
CSG’s Editors of Color Database helps recruiters connect with editors, proofreaders, and sensitivity readers of color in the U.S. and Canada. On the website, you can submit job listings for distribution to our private network of pros and explore the 100+ resources in the Database of Diverse Databases, which highlights underrepresented groups. Diversify your sources now!
Creative Writing + Conscious Language
Follow @consciousstyleguide on Instagram for examples of how context can support sensitive content, with a focus on children’s books, including young adult.
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].
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