SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2024

From the World of Conscious Language

Note: The authors' viewpoints are not necessarily shared by CSG.

TRANSPARENCY

Documentary Filmmakers Publish New AI Ethics Guidelines. Are News Broadcasters Next?

“The cornerstone of the [generative AI] guidelines is transparency. Audiences should understand what they are seeing and hearing—whether it’s authentic media or AI generated.”—Jennifer Petrucelli, cofounder, Archival Producers Alliance. Read >

DESIGN + IMAGES

Heinz Accused of Promoting Racist Stereotypes, Blackface in New Ads

In an ad featuring a Black bride and her mother and a White groom and his parents, “many people felt Heinz was promoting the racist stereotype of the absent Black father as he didn’t appear at the ‘head table’ at his daughter’s wedding.” Read >

SPIRITUALITY, RELIGION + ATHEISM

Netflix’s “Nobody Wants This” and the Persistent Jewish Stereotype

“While I love Noah’s commitment to Judaism, and just the fact that he’s one of the best TV boyfriends I’ve seen in some time, I can’t say the same about the other Jewish characters on the show—primarily the women. Would it be too much just to see Jewish characters in shows without feeling othered?” Read >

ABILITY + DISABILITY

The Two States Where the GOP Is Taking on Ableist Language

“Local press and anti-DEI national commentators have not criticized either proposal, signaling that, as once was the norm with the enactment of laws like the Americans with Disabilites Act, the push for disability rights can be bipartisan.” Read >

GENDER, SEX + SEXUALITY

Language Determines the Way We See the World

“People may dismiss gender-neutral language as unnecessary or merely ideological,” but a 2019 study found that “using gender-neutral pronouns increases positive attitudes toward women and LGBTQ+ people, by reducing the salience of masculine identity and subsequently causing less gender-based bias.” Read >

JOURNALISM

It’s Time to Talk About How the Media Talks About Sexual Harassment

“In all cases, women were heavily featured as victims but never as aggressors. It is a gender bias that does not match the established statistics, which show that almost one-quarter of aggressors are women.” Read >

APPEARANCE

How We Think About “Obesity” and Body Weight Is Changing. Here’s Why

“Historical reflections on the word ‘obesity’ reveal its offensive origins, with advocates suggesting the term ob*sity should be used with an asterisk to acknowledge this. To show our respect, we will adopt this language here.” Read >

FREE SPEECH

The Unfortunate Consequences of a Misguided Free Speech Principle

“All social practices are defined by boundaries that distinguish unacceptable from acceptable behavior. These boundaries apply to speech as well as to action. To privilege the individual autonomy of speakers and to insulate their communication from the enforcement of these boundaries is to undermine the practices.” Read >

ETHNICITY, NATIONALITY + RACE

How the Hidden Curriculum in English Textbooks Shapes Minds

“As English solidifies its role as the global lingua franca, the subtle privileging of one culture over another in educational materials becomes more than an academic concern—it’s a challenge to cultural identity.” Read >

APPEARANCE

How “Big Back,” “Fatty,” and Other “Fatphobic” Slang Is Damaging Your Teen’s Mental Health

“NYU professor of linguistics Renee Blake says that [‘big back’] has roots in the ‘Black London community, meaning “derrière” in a positive light,’ and that it only became negative through appropriation.” Read >

PLAIN LANGUAGE

National Weather Service Makes Big Changes to Cold Weather Alerts Ahead of Winter

“This is part of a ‘hazard simplification project,’ with the NWS seeking to use plain language to alert the public to potentially hazardous weather.” Read >

GENDER, SEX + SEXUALITY

How “The Queer Arab Glossary” Challenges Stereotypes About Arab Homophobia

“[Marwan Kaabour] says his work also aims to strike down the stereotype that Arab people are homophobic and unwilling to embrace queerness in their communities. ‘We need to stop making these big, broad strokes of judgments, and just have a more nuanced understanding of each other and the way we think.’” Read >

CLIMATE + ENVIRONMENT

Getting People to Eat Plant-Based Foods Is Hard—but Why, Exactly?

“Is it really possible to get people to eat more plants just by putting vegetarian dishes at the top of the menu, or offering them plant-based meals by default and hoping they don’t ask for meat instead? According to research, the answer is yes.” Read >

CREATIVE WRITING

Where Are the Black Girls in New YA Shows & Movies?

“If you are repeatedly erased from the shows, films and books you see around you, you are further alienated, further othered, far more likely to move around the world feeling ‘odd’—and nobody benefits from that more than the racist systems built to never let us reach or see our potential and humanity.” Read >

MISCELLANEOUS > TRANSPARENCY

Trust Kits: Artificial Intelligence

“Research shows people are more likely to trust information when they know how it was created. So, explaining exactly what the AI did, why it was used and how humans were involved helps demystify the use of the technology.” Visit Miscellaneous >

ETHNICITY, RACE + NATIONALITY

Reclaiming the Tiki Bar

“A recent movement aims to shift from the word ‘tiki’ to ‘tropical’ and [Mariah Kunkel, cofounder of Pasifika Project] is on board. ‘I just don’t think it’s necessary to use stereotypes or appropriate cultural elements to transport folks.’ She says, however, that tiki can lead people to learn about the culture of Pacific Islanders.” Visit Ethnicity, Race + Nationality >

From the Archives

Moving Beyond “Default” Language in Pop-Culture Criticism

On the practice of assuming that straightness and Whiteness are culturally neutral. Read >

In Case You Missed It

In the August 2024 newsletter…

• The Hidden Racism of Book Cover Design
• The Word “Vegan” Is Still More Reviled Than “Plant-Based” But…Why?
• 10 Things Adults Should Never Say to Kids, According to Psychologists

Read >

Stuff to Buy

Other Resources

Join Our Online Community: Are you on Facebook? Join the Conscious Language + Design Facebook Group to learn, share, and chat with others who are curious or serious about conscious language.

Find Editors of Color: The Editors of Color Database helps recruiters connect with editors, proofreaders, and sensitivity readers of color in the U.S. and Canada. You can submit job listings for distribution to our private network and explore the 100+ resources in Diverse Databases, which highlights underrepresented groups. Diversify your sources now!

Shop for Diverse Picture Books: On DiversePictureBooks.com, find exceptional picture books that spread understanding, compassion, and joy through diverse representation.

Get More Tips on Instagram: Follow @ConsciousStyleGuide for examples of context that supports sensitive content.

Facebook | Instagram | LinkedIn | Bluesky | Threads