Since our founding in 2016 we’ve developed into a team of 45+ wonderfully diverse people.
It’s our job to create a work environment where Charlini’s feel they can bring every part of themselves to work. We need this diversity to build better products, make Charlie a better place to work and because it’s the right thing to do.
This policy aims to highlight how we can use language to avoid biases, prevent the exclusion of groups and individuals and create a workspace we’re all proud of.
There is no one-size-fits-all and the below steps simply give us the best starting point for being inclusive and welcoming, ultimately it’s for the person or group we’re speaking to or about, to direct how they’d like to be acknowledged.
We’ll share some key principles to help guide you and then dive into more specific examples.
6 overall inclusive language principles:
- Put people first: Default to person-first constructions that put the person ahead of their characteristics, e.g., instead of “a blind man” or “a female engineer,” use “a man who is blind” or “a woman on our engineering team.” People-first language keeps the individual as the most essential element; there is more to each of us than our descriptors. Mention characteristics like gender, sexual orientation, religion, racial group or ability only when relevant to the discussion.
- Avoid idioms, jargons, and acronyms: Jargon and acronyms can exclude people who may not have specialised knowledge of a particular subject and prevent effective communication as a result
- When speaking about disability, avoid phrases that suggest victimhood, e.g. “afflicted by,” “victim of,” “suffers from,” “confined to a wheelchair”. Try to steer clear of euphemisms like “challenged,” “differently abled,” or “specially-abled,” too
- Don’t underplay the impact of mental disabilities. Terms like “bipolar,” “OCD” and “ADD” are descriptors of real psychiatric disabilities that people actually possess. They are not metaphors for everyday behaviours. Also, avoid derogatory terms that stem from the context of mental health, for example, “crazy,” “mad,“ “schizo,” or “psycho.”
- “Guys” is not gender neutral. “The ”universal male” (i.e., using “guys” to mean “people”) assumes that the normal, default human being is male. “Although “guys” and “man” are said to be neutral, numerous studies show that these words cause people specifically to think of males. Instead look to use terms like “Folks” or “Everyone”.
- If you're not sure, ask! Let’s all try our best to include language that reflects peoples’ choice and style in how they talk about themselves.
Age
Only mention age if it’s relevant, for example when discussing an age group in a data set.Aim to avoid ageist terms such as:
- Elderly
- OAPs
- Pensioners
- Youngsters
And opt for more objective terms such such as: