天堂社区

Writing About People

We write with a person-first perspective. Whether you鈥檙e writing for an internal or external audience, it's important to write for and about other people in a way that鈥檚 compassionate, inclusive, and respectful. Being aware of the impact of your language will help make 天堂社区 a better place to work and a better steward of our values in the world. In this section we'll lay out some guidelines for writing about people with compassion, and share some resources for further learning.

Age

Don鈥檛 reference a person鈥檚 age unless it鈥檚 relevant to what you鈥檙e writing. If it is relevant, include the person鈥檚 specific age, offset by commas.

• The CEO, 16, just got her driver鈥檚 license.

Don鈥檛 refer to people using age-related descriptors like 鈥測oung,鈥� 鈥渙ld,鈥� or 鈥渆lderly.鈥�

Disability

Don鈥檛 refer to a person鈥檚 disability unless it鈥檚 relevant to what you鈥檙e writing. If you need to mention it, use language that emphasizes the person first:

• Yes: She has a disability.
• No: She is disabled.

When writing about a person with disabilities, don鈥檛 use the words 鈥渟uffer,鈥� 鈥渧ictim,鈥� or 鈥渉andicapped.鈥�

鈥淗andicapped parking鈥� is OK.

Gender and sexuality

Don鈥檛 call groups of people 鈥済uys.鈥� Don鈥檛 call women 鈥済irls.鈥�

Avoid gendered terms in favor of neutral alternatives, like 鈥渟erver鈥� instead of 鈥渨aitress鈥� and 鈥渂usinessperson鈥� instead of 鈥渂usinessman.鈥�

It鈥檚 OK to use 鈥渢hey鈥� as a singular pronoun.

Use the following words as modifiers, but never as nouns:

• lesbian
• gay
• bisexual
• transgender (never "transgendered")
• trans
• queer
• LGBT
• LGBTQ

Don鈥檛 use these words in reference to LGBT people or communities:

• homosexual
• lifestyle
• preference

Don鈥檛 use 鈥渟ame-sex鈥� marriage, unless the distinction is relevant to what you鈥檙e writing. Otherwise, it鈥檚 just 鈥渕arriage.鈥� (Avoid 鈥済ay marriage.鈥�)

When writing about a person, use their communicated pronouns. When in doubt, just ask which pronouns they prefer or use their name.

Hearing

Use 鈥渄eaf鈥� as an adjective to describe a person with significant hearing loss. You can also use 鈥減artially deaf鈥� or 鈥渉ard of hearing.鈥�

Medical conditions

Don鈥檛 refer to a person鈥檚 medical condition unless it鈥檚 relevant to what you鈥檙e writing.

If a reference to a person鈥檚 medical condition is warranted, use the same rules as writing about people with physical disabilities and emphasize the person first. Don鈥檛 call a person with a medical condition a 鈥渧ictim.鈥�

Mental and cognitive conditions

Don鈥檛 refer to a person鈥檚 mental or cognitive condition unless it鈥檚 relevant to what you鈥檙e writing. Never assume that someone has a medical, mental, or cognitive condition.

Don鈥檛 describe a person as 鈥渕entally ill.鈥� If a reference to a person鈥檚 mental or cognitive condition is warranted, use the same rules as writing about people with physical disabilities or medical conditions and emphasize the person first.

Vision

Use the adjective 鈥渂lind鈥� to describe a person who is unable to see. Use 鈥渓ow vision鈥� to describe a person with limited vision.