Inclusivity best practices

It’s important to always be conscious when writing about groups of people who have specific perspectives or needs. Our goal is to make sure we help every citizen in Connecticut feel included and “seen”.

Using conscious language

"I coined the term conscious language to describe language that promotes equity, used skillfully in a specific context."

Source: Karen Yin, Founder of Conscious Style Guide 

Ensure all readers have a neutral experience with your content

Here are some helpful rules to follow:

Use gender-neutral pronouns: No he/she or his/hers if the subject doesn’t require being defined by gender. In most cases, using “they” can suffice.

Don’t use “elderly”: Use “older person” or “senior”.

Never define a person by their disability: Say “a person with autism” instead of “an autistic person.”

Don’t use “high-functioning” or “low-functioning” when describing a person with a disability.

Don’t describe people as a possession of a state or country: Say “The Indigenous people of Connecticut,” not “Connecticut’s Indigenous people.”

Don’t use the word “the” before any ethnic group.

Avoid gender bias 

Can you spot the bias here? “A nurse is trained to understand her patients’ emotions as well as physical symptoms.”

Men can be nurses too. But our culture has been conditioned to see nursing as a career for women. The following would be better: "Nurses are trained to understand their patients’ emotions as well as physical symptoms.”

List of gender neutral terms verbiage

Confirmation bias

Another kind of bias to watch out for is “confirmation bias”. This is where you instinctively attach positive qualities to people who look or sound like you.

It’s always good practice to try to be actively objective when you write. And always look for opportunities to bring more diversity into your content.

Avoid government jargon 

Users’ typical experience with the government has traditionally meant wading through lots of confusing jargon. This often frustrates people, so try to keep agency-speak to a minimum.

Many agencies suffer from an image of being stuffy and out-of-touch. Remove these words from your writing:

Jargon example

Do: “Some standards and practices will work better than others. We’ll continue to analyze them so we can make ongoing improvements.”

Don’t: “Therefore, differences in effectiveness between agency standards and practices will be difficult to parse and govern. We cannot rigorously disentangle these components."

Avoid slang and “text speak” 

CT.gov websites are accessed by many different audiences. A user should be able to understand what you’re saying the first time they read or hear it.

• Avoid using slang. Don’t assume everyone knows what popular slang terms mean.
• Be conversational, but don’t use shorthand or language you’d use while texting.
• When writing, think about how you would help a lost driver in need of directions. Or how you would help a teacher understand your child’s specific needs.
• The idea is to be a helpful servant and not a “pal”.

Avoid slang and “text speak” example

Do: “Want to know where we’re stocking fish this year? Here’s an easy online map that shows all the waterways connected to our fisheries program.”

Don’t: “We’re stoked you’re interested in our fisheries program. Here’s a map of stocked ponds that will have you catching fish in a zip.”

Use positive, plain language 

When writing about issues that require users to take an action, look for positive ways to get your message across.

• We never want to sound demanding or intimidating.
• Avoid using too many “can’t’s” in your writing and look for more positive ways to relay your message.

Use positive, plain language example

Do: “Before we can make sure you’re officially recorded as the property owner, fill out this document and return it to us here at DEEP within 30 days.”

Don’t: “NOTICE: The property owner shall be required to prove ownership by submitting document SR 21117 to DEEP within 30 days.”