October 2015 Newsletter

February 10, 2016

Behind the Scenes

Pssst! Conscious Style Guide has been tinkering behind the scenes, so stay tuned for a few unveilings in the months to come.

In confidence,

Karen YinFounder

On unacceptable behavior and conscious language.

“Where expressions of masculinity in male friendships are concerned, the performance of power, dominance and comradeship through the degradation of women and minorities is a pattern that requires disruption from within.”

“Rather than calling a trans person brave, why not join the push for better representation of trans identities in media? Or join the calls to end healthcare discrimination for trans people? Rather than calling a trans person brave, why not join the demand to protect trans people from employment discrimination?”

“We find this language to be inaccurate because these children are under the age of consent, and it’s inconsistent with federal law and most states’ anti-trafficking laws, which consider these children victims of commercial sexual exploitation and trafficking.”—Yasmin Vafa, cofounder of Human Rights for Girls

“Whether it is a collision deemed an “accident,” absolving a criminal of guilt; whether it is an immigrant labeled “illegal” and stripped of their dignity; whether it is a core identity thrown around as an insult or joke; or whether it is the de-emphasis of the force and violence of certain sexual assaults, language is potent and must be examined.”

“We believe we can do better.”—McGraw-Hill

A refresher on trans-inclusive language.

“The word “refugee” carries with it a sense of moral obligation.”

“[Harvard’s Steven Pinker] says academics aren’t aware they’re doing it or properly trained to identify their blindspots—when they know too much and struggle to ascertain what others don’t know.”

“You should aim to write a character who is multifaceted, complex, and human.”

“We don’t really believe in leaving things the same way just because it’s the way it’s always been…”

“Undocumented foreign national” vs. “illegal alien.”

“Head teachers are being urged to ensure that sexist language is taken as seriously as racist language.”

“Well-written dialogue not only tells readers what a character is saying, but what they’re feeling, what they’re thinking, and who they are. Part of a copyeditor’s responsibility is making sure all that subtext remains in the dialogue.”

“They were inspired by the simple nutrition fact box found on packaged foods and wanted to create something as easy to use for medicine.”

On neutralizing the language we use for sex and body parts.

“You need different, more precise questions to ask, ones that actually get at the thing you want to know.”

“The term in question finds its roots in a savage and colonialist history—it was used to refer to the bloodied scalps of Native Americans, skinned and sold by British colonizers, Cherokee and Choctaw writer Baxter Holmes reported in Esquire.”

“Parent” and “guardian” vs. “mother” and “father.”

“The biggest problem with the word “robot” isn’t that it’s overly broad marketing jargon, or that it engenders lazy reporting. It’s that it obscures human agency.”

“Small changes in language can go a long way in creating a more inclusive community.”—Matthew Smoot, Pride Alliance vice president of fraternity

 What’s a Skoliosexual? | The Huffington Post

“To help shed some more light on this subject matter, here are 12 terms related to sexual and romantic identities that are beginning to receive more attention in the media but that are still regularly absent or erased from conversations currently taking place in popular culture.”

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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