Intersectional Inclusion

The language we use and the way we chose to speak is an important personal form of expression. Intersection Inclusion is a language concept that consists of being aware of the language you use and try to focus that your words are accurate and accurately representative.

Intersectionality is a term that was coined by American professor Kimberlé Crenshaw in 1989: "The view that women experience oppression in varying configurations and in varying degrees of intensity. Cultural patterns of oppression are not only interrelated, but are bound together and influenced by the intersectional systems of society." Intersectionality is a concept often used in critical theories to describe the ways in which oppressive institutions (racism, sexism, homophobia, transphobia, ableism, xenophobia, classism, etc.) are interconnected and cannot be examined separately from one another. Intersectional feminism tries to acknowledge that not every feminist is white, middle class, cis-gendered and able-bodied and that power dynamics affect our social structures in many complicated way.

Inclusive language is language that avoids the use of certain expressions or words that might be considered to exclude particular groups of people, esp gender-specific words. You may have noticed my love of the word “folks”, it is a wonderful example of inclusive language. Gender-Non-Assumptive language respects and acknowledges the gender identities of all people and removes assumption. For example “I haven’t met your partner.” Additionally try and avoid Imperatives like “Always” and “Never”. I once had a professor that said: “The only thing all women do is take in oxygen and expel carbon dioxide, and the dead ones don’t even do that”

For Practice Try Posting the: GENDER-NEUTRAL LANGUAGE SHEET

When greeting others

Avoid: ladies gentlemen ma’am sir girls guys etc.

Consider using instead:

• “Thanks, friends. Have a great night.”

• “Good morning,

• “Hi, everyone!”

• folks!”

• “And for you?”

• “Can I get you all something?”

Why? Shifting to gender-inclusive language respects and acknowledges the gender identities of all people and removes assumption. Be mindful of language

Based on Toni Latour’s “Hello there” cards. Learn more at qmunity.ca

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