Happy Friday, party people!
Inspired by my very first rant, I thought it was about time for another one.
This time, it’s about the words that make me feel icky in (and outside of) the workplace.
Let’s make one thing clear: Using inclusive language is not about being “politically correct.” It’s not about censorship. It’s about using language that is respectful and relevant to everyone.
Not convinced? Maybe these stats will help:
Inclusive language improves productivity by building a sense of belonging.
In a survey of 1,789 employees, BetterUp found that workplace belonging increased job performance by 56%, reduced turnover risk by 50%, and decreased employee sick days by 75%.
Inclusive language helps attract (and retain) the best people.
According to the Appcast Gender Report, which analyzed over 470,000 job posts, by removing gender-coded words, companies see nearly 30% more applications per job compared to jobs with both male- and female-coded words.1
Inclusive language helps attract (and retain) customers.
A 2019 study by The Female Quotient, Google, and Ipsos, found that underrepresented groups are more likely to consider or buy a product after seeing an ad they think is diverse or inclusive. In short, customers are more likely to engage with a brand when they feel represented.
And now, for the main event…
Stop Using These Words. Like Right Now.
🚫 For Marketers: “Tribe”
Marketers will often use the word “tribe” when referring to building a community, like this:
Look, I get the appeal of the word “tribe.” I do. I’m also guilty of using it in past marketing jobs. It sounds exotic, it evokes feelings of closeness, and it taps into our primal need for connection and social bonding.
But, the use of the word “tribe” is problematic – not least of which is because it’s just not our word to use (and by “our,” I mean anyone who does not identify as indigenous). The word “tribe” is a racially sensitive word that can be offensive to indigenous people because it implies “savage” or “primitive.”
In 2020, American bicycle manufacturer Yeti Cycles announced that they would stop using the word “tribe” in reference to their community, after discussions with members of the indigenous community. In an email announcing the decision, Yeti co-owners Chris Conroy and Steve Hoogendoorn wrote:
Recently, we’ve learned our use of the term “Tribe” can be offensive to indigenous people, due to the violent history they have endured in the United States. The word “Tribe” is a colonial construct that was used to marginalize Native Americans and its continued use by non-indigenous people fails to accurately recognize their history and unique status as Tribal Nations.
However great and close-knit your community might be, it is not a tribe – so don’t call it one.
🚫 For HR / Hiring: “Rockstar” & “Ninja”
*sigh*
I just can’t.
You’ll usually find words like “rockstar” and “ninja” used in startups or tech (which, as we established last week, could do better when it comes to DEI).
Here’s the thing: there are qualities in rockstars and ninjas that are desirable for companies (risk-taking, dynamic, creative, agile).
The problem is these terms are gender-biased, signaling a male-dominated, “bro” culture, and turning off women as a result. How hard is it to use gender-neutral words like “engineer” or “project manager”? Why not go crazy and ask for a “hard worker”? They come in all genders!
Luckily, it looks like “rockstar” and “ninja” are going increasingly out of fashion. Let’s hope they’re not replaced by more cringey words.2
🚫 For the General Workplace: “Man”
I don’t feel as strongly about this one as I do about “tribe” and “rockstar/ninja,” but using “man” in words like “man-hours” and “manpower” does make me feel a bit iffy. It’s just unnecessarily gendered language.
Using the word “man” in itself isn’t nefarious – but it denotes a world where men are the default, as journalist Caroline Criado Perez wrote about in her book, “Invisible Women: Data Bias in a World Designed for Men.”
While her book focuses on biased design, the idea of “men as the default” applies to society at large. In an interview with Vox, Perez said:
The male body has always been taken as the standard human being. The female body is seen as the atypical body. You see that going all the way back to Aristotle – he refers to the female body as a mutilated male body – and you see it in textbooks today, where the male anatomy is presented as the anatomy.
I’m not offended when people use words with “man” in them. I just think if you really want to build an inclusive culture, you could try a bit harder to find more inclusive words and phrases.
🤙 (Dis)Honorable Mention: Emojis
For the love of all things holy, please use emojis in your own skin color. Or, do what I do and stick to the standard (i.e. neutral) yellow. This isn’t even a workplace thing; it’s a PEOPLE thing.
I know a few white men who use black emojis and it’s just not right. Why do you do that? Like really, why?
Think about it – it’s not like the dark skin-toned emojis are automatically selected for you. You have to ACTIVELY and CONSCIOUSLY CHOOSE them.
Is this just me? I get worked up about this and it’s probably not a big deal, but just think about it. And when you do, let me know how you feel because I’m VERY curious to hear your opinion.
And yes, when I use ALL CAPS, I am shouting.
DEI Win of the Week ⚽️
Following last week’s great news about Dollywood, I thought it’d be nice to celebrate good news in DEI every week!
This week’s win goes to the US women's football team! Earlier this week, it was announced that the team reached a landmark $24 million settlement after a few players filed a complaint over inequality in pay and treatment. The new agreement ensures equal pay for male and female players in US football.3 Go, team!
Shameless Plug 🔌
Thank you for reading! I just wanted to tell you that I recently launched a page on Ko-fi, so if you enjoy this newsletter, help me out as an independent creator and buy me a coffee… Or two… ;)
What are gender-coded words, you ask? In this study, researchers found that male-coded words like “ambitious, confident, decisive, logical, and superior” attracted more male applicants, while female-coded words like “compassion, emotional, interpersonal, sensitive, and warm” attracted more female applicants.
Don’t even get me started on “guru.”
Ugh fine, soccer.
Agreed…I do not understand why you would use an emoji that doesn’t match your skin color. Someone please explain!