| There's probably nothing more | | | | jobs or roles are filled only by a |
| humiliating than to make a remark in | | | | certain sex or gender. In other words, |
| public and have someone take offense at | | | | don't talk about "policemen," but rather |
| the comment. Some remarks about | | | | about "police officers"; don't refer to |
| individuals and groups can even be the | | | | the mailmen," but to "mail carriers." |
| occasion for a lawsuit against you or | | | | And don't refer to our "forefathers," |
| your company. | | | | but instead tour "ancestors." |
| In modern business language, the spoken | | | | The question here is not a matter of |
| and written word has become a | | | | principle, but of practice. |
| battleground. Terms once regarded as | | | | Specifically, will the day be carried on |
| benign have turned into "fighting | | | | this point by the adoption of the |
| words." Women, various ethnic groups, | | | | gender-neutral word "person"? That is, |
| older parties, and other parties (such | | | | will words like "policeperson," |
| as homosexuals, or "gays") have become | | | | "chairperson," "mailperson." and |
| much more sensitive to language they | | | | waitperson" become standard usage? It |
| believe may denigrate them. Using them | | | | appears the term "person" is a |
| "wrong" words can injure your | | | | ubiquitous in our society as the |
| reputation, and even destroy your | | | | designation "Comrade" was in Chairman |
| career. Thus, it's up to you, as a | | | | Mao's China. |
| speaker, to choose your words carefully. | | | | 4. Avoid the "he/she" pronoun problem by |
| There are certain general principles you | | | | making singular nouns into plurals. For |
| can follow that will minimize the chance | | | | example, suppose you say, "The engineer |
| you will unintentionally offend a member | | | | is a problem solver; he does not know |
| of the most sensitive groups. But let's | | | | the meaning of the word "impossible."' |
| be candid: almost any usage will offend | | | | If you say that, some people might be |
| or at least irritate someone. In this | | | | offended by the male referent "he." A |
| area, "zero defects" probably is an | | | | simple way to overcome that problem is |
| unattainable goal. | | | | add an "s" to "engineer." That makes the |
| Here are five principles you can use | | | | sentences read: "Engineers are |
| that will help you avoid saying | | | | problem-solvers, they don't know the |
| something offensive: | | | | meaning of the word "impossible."' |
| 1. Identify people the way they want to | | | | This approach seems to solve the problem |
| be called. If some people of African | | | | with wordiness inherent in always having |
| heritage want to be called | | | | to say "he and she." Some notable |
| "African-Americans," then do so. If | | | | experts on language usage may object to |
| other individuals want to be called | | | | the principle; their point is that |
| "Blacks," do so. The same principle | | | | historically, "he" as a pronoun |
| applies with "gays' (rather than | | | | reference could refer either to males or |
| "homosexuals") and "Latinos" (rather | | | | females. These individuals seem to be |
| than "Hispanics"). | | | | fighting a losing battle. |
| The caution here is that some people | | | | 5. Refer to people with disabilities as |
| don't like the proliferation of | | | | that, "people with disabilities." In the |
| "hyphenated Americans" | | | | eyes of many people, calling such |
| (Italian-Americans, Greek-Americans, and | | | | individuals "handicapped" or "disabled" |
| so on). Some people feel that the | | | | is to confuse the individual with the |
| hyphenation turns people into partial | | | | disability. |
| Americans. These people are in the | | | | A caution about using the term |
| minority, but there are not alone. | | | | "physically challenged." To some people, |
| 2. Whenever possible, don't generalize | | | | this well-intentioned term implies that |
| about groups; talk instead in terms of | | | | diseases such as multiple sclerosis or |
| individuals. In other words, don't say, | | | | "Lou Gehrig's Disease" are "challenges." |
| "Women are submissive"; and don't say | | | | The further implication would be that |
| "Men are aggressive." Individual women | | | | people who don't overcome their |
| may be submissive, as individual man may | | | | "challenge" have somehow failed is a |
| be aggressive. Generalizations about | | | | ridiculous notion. |
| groups are always wrong, if not totally, | | | | In the politically correct and sensitive |
| at least partially. | | | | society that we are now living in it is |
| This limitation is that this approach is | | | | almost impossible to give a speech |
| easy in theory, hard in practice. How, | | | | without someone taking offense to |
| for example, is a company's "affirmative | | | | something you say, but by following |
| action" officer to avoid generalizing | | | | these five principles you can greatly |
| about groups? Also, in time of | | | | reduce your chances of giving offense or |
| heightened racial, gender, and ethnic | | | | being misunderstood. |
| awareness, is it realistic to expect | | | | Copyright©2008 by Joe Love and JLM & |
| people to stop generalizing about such | | | | Associates, Inc. All rights reserved |
| matters? | | | | worldwide. |
| 3. Don't use words that imply certain | | | | |