USING

BIAS-FREE
LANGUAGE
reporter

FERDINAND RAMOS

We need to use language that

recognizes our diversity and
does not offend, demean or
exclude people on the basis of
gender, age, ethnicity,
disability, and sexual
orientation.

GENDER

Substitute gender-neutral words

and phrases for gender-biased
words. Do this for titles and
descriptions as well.

PROBLEMATIC
man, mankind
man the operation
chairman

PREFERRED
people, humanity,
humankind
staff the operation
chair, chairperson,
director

GENDER

Include both male and female

reference points. Do not assume
marital or familial relationships.

PROBLEMATIC

PREFERRED

faculty and wives

faculty and guests or

faculty and spouses

You and your

spouse are
invited

You and your guest

are invited

GENDER

Avoid gender-biased pronouns. Replace

gendered pronouns with one or you or
drop them and restructure the sentence.

PROBLEMATIC

PREFERRED

Each student should

Each student should
hand in his term
hand in a term
paper by...
paper by...
You should hand in
your term paper by...

GENDER

Changing to plural construction.

PROBLEMATIC
Each student
should hand in his
term paper by
A nurse cares for
her patients

PREFERRED
Students should hand
in their term papers
by
Nurses care for their
patients

GENDER

Avoid awkward construction such

as he(she), s/he, (s)he, or him/her.

PROBLEMATIC

PREFERRED

As a professor emeritus, - A professor emeritus is

s/he is entitled to
entitled to reduced
reduced parking fees.
parking fees.

GENDER

Use parallelism to show gender

equality and consistent references.
Avoid sexual stereotyping by
eliminating irrelevant descriptions.

PROBLEMATIC

PREFERRED

Danny Jones, a
strong athlete, and
Suzy Favor, an
attractive runner

Jones, a strong basketball

player, and Favor, a
powerful runner

She shoots like a

man.

She shoots well.

GENDER

If a direct quote is offensive or

inappropriate, either replace or
delete it. For photographs, make sure
both men and women are illustrated
equally.

AGE
Refer to a persons age only when
relevant.
PROBLEMATIC
The researchers,
ages 58 and 60, won
a grant from the
university.

PREFERRED
Jane Reyes, 13, will study
at DLS-CSB this term.
She is the youngest
student ever to enroll at
the college.

AGE
When using a generic age description,
consult your subjects re: their
preference.
Avoid clichs and generalizations that
reinforce stereotypes about age.

AGE
Dont assume and underestimate
peoples capabilities based on their
age.
Never use patronizing language
(e.g. sweet little old lady).

AGE
In communications meant to represent
a range of experiences or POVs,
include people of diverse ages.
Newspaper style:
females 18 + are women, not
girls
males 18+ are men, not boys

RACE

AND

ETHNICITY

Avoid identifying people by race or

ethnic group unless it is relevant.
Avoid terms that suggest the
domination of one race over another.
Refer to individuals as members of a
minority group or specify the minority
group when identity is pertinent.

RACE

AND

ETHNICITY

Avoid words, images, or situations that

reinforce stereotypes that imply all
people from a particular group are the
same.
Do not patronize or give token
attention to members of racial or
ethnic groups.

RACE

AND

ETHNICITY

Stay attuned to the current

terminology
used
by
the
concerned racial and ethnic groups
themselves.
e.g.
Negro
African American
Oriental
Asian

RACE

AND

ETHNICITY

Be sensitive to religion when

referring to various ethnic groups.
Do not make assumptions.

RACE

AND

ETHNICITY

Written communications and visual

materials
should
aim
for
reasonable representation of all
groups involved.

DISABILITIES
The terms impairment, disability,
and handicap are not synonymous.
IMPAIRMENT. a physiological condition
DISABILITY.
HANDICAP.

the consequence of an
impairment; may or may
not be handicapping
the social implication of a
disability

DISABILITIES
Disabled people should not be
automatically viewed as sick or
having
a
disease.
Do
not
generalize.
Put
people
disabilities.
The visually
impaired student

first,

not

their

The student, who

is visually
impaired

DISABILITIES
Do not focus on a disability unless
it is relevant to your message.
IRRELEVANT The new instructor, whose
bout with polio left him on
crutches, will teach African
History.

RELEVANT

The author of the book on the

disabled and their families has
been a paraplegic since
childhood.

DISABILITIES
In photos or illustrations, depict
disabled people in everyday situations.
Do not focus on their disability.

SEXUAL
ORIENTATION
SEXUAL
GENDER or
PREFERENCE

SEXUAL
ORIENTATION

Implies that being

homosexual, bisexual, or
heterosexual is a matter of
choice, and that sex is the
focus of the relationship

SEXUAL
Refer to societal groups in the way that
ORIENTATION
members of each group prefer (i.e.
some prefer to be called gay than
homosexual).

Avoid using gay lifestyle or lesbian

lifestyle. Being gay or lesbian is not a
lifestyle;
it
is
a
fundamental
orientation.

SEXUAL
Use lesbian and gay community
ORIENTATION

instead of the umbrella term gay

community.
Include the POV of somebody who is
gay when reporting on a gay topic.
The same goes to lesbians, bisexuals,
etc.

BIBLIOGRAPHY
University of Wisconsin Madison. (2015,
January).
A Guide to Bias-Free Communications.
Madison, Wisconsin, United States of
America.
Retrieved from
http://academicaffairs.ucsd.edu/
_files/aps/adeo/Article_Guide_to_BiasFree_Communications.pdf