Language Considerations
Inclusive language is language that acknowledges diversity, conveys respect to all people, is sensitive to differences, and promotes equal opportunities. This section contains researched and thoughtfully discussed key terms that you can use when conducting research or writing. It is by no means a comprehensive list as belonging, diversity, equity, inclusion, and justice terms are ever-expanding and changing, but it is a good place to start.
- Access
- Accomplice
- Ally/Allies
- Antisemitism
- Bias
- Climate
- Cultural humility
- Cultural competence
- Cultural responsiveness
- Decolonization
- Discrimination
- Diverse
- English language learners (ELLs)
- Equity
- Generalization
- Global citizenship
- Global majority
- Global South
- Health equity
- Historical trauma
- Human rights
- Implicit bias
- Inclusion
- Intergenerational trauma
- Intersectionality
- Islamophobia
- Marginalization
- Microaggressions
- Minority
- Oppression
- Pathway programs
- Performative allyship
- Population health
- Positionality
- Prejudice
- Privilege
- Religious discrimination
- Social justice
- Stereotype
- Structural competency
- Xenophobia
- Ageism
- Weight stigma or sizeism
- Ableism
- Accessibility
- Disability
- Universal design
- Neurodivergent
- Neurotypical
- Acculturation
- African American/Black
- Antiracism
- American Arab, Middle Eastern, and North African (AMENA)
- Asian/Asian American
- BIPOC (Black, Indigenous, and people of color)
- Color-blind beliefs
- Color-blind policies
- Colorism
- Culture
- Cultural appropriation
- Enculturation
- Ethnic bias
- Ethnic identity
- Ethnicity
- Hispanic, Latino/a, Latin@, Latine, Latinx, or Chicano
- Indigenous
- Indigenous Peoples around the world
- Indigenous land acknowledgment
- Jews/Jewish Americans
- People of color
- People of European origin
- Race
- Racial identity
- Racial and ethnocultural justice
- Racial socialization
- Racial/racialized/race-based trauma
- Racism
- Cultural
- Institutional
- Structural
- Interpersonal
- Internalized
- Roma, Romany, Romani, or Traveler communities
- Texturism
- Tokenism
- White privilege
- White supremacy
- Cissexism
- Gender
- Gender and pronoun usage
- Gender/sex binary
- Gender creative
- Gender-exclusive vs. gender-inclusive language
- Gender-fluid
- Gender identity
- affirmed gender
- agender
- cisgender/nontransgender
- gender socialization
- nonbinary
- transgender
- Gender-inclusive language related to pregnancy
- Gender nonconforming (GNC)/gender expansive
- Heterosexism
- Sexual and gender minorities (SGM)
- Sexual orientation and identity
- Transition
- Classism
- Class privilege
- Socioeconomic status (SES)/social class
The following terms should not be used as they have negative or offensive connotations. Refer to page 36 for the Avoiding Microaggressions in Conversation section of the APA Inclusive Language Guide for explanations and suggested alternatives. This section also includes examples of Violent Language and Language That Doesn't Say What We Mean and suggested alternatives.
- cabal
- Eskimo
- Indian-giver
- "no can do"
- pipeline
- powwow
- spirit animal
- totem pole
- tribe/tribal
- "sold down the river"
- "to get gypped"
Search Terms for Finding DEI Resources
The Saybrook Library offers access to a vast amount and variety of resources, too many to list within this guide. The best strategy is to use OneSearch and databases to find materials relevant to your interests. The following subject headings and keywords may be useful for finding books, articles, films, and other materials.
- Ableism
- Ageism
- Antiracism
- Asian
- AAPI
- Biculturalism
- Black nationalism
- Black power
- Civil rights
- Community organization
- Cultural pluralism
- Disability
- Distributive justice
- Discrimination in education
- Diversity in the workplace
- Educational equity
- Environmental justice
- Equity gap
- Ethnicity
- Feminism
- Inclusion
- Indigenous
- Intersectionality
- LGBTQIA+
- Male domination (power structure)
- Minorities
- Multiculturalism
- Native American
- Paternalism
- Patriarchy
- Racial awareness
- Racism in education
- Religious discrimination
- Restorative justice
- Social class