As professional translators, we are often called upon to produce content that transcends linguistic and cultural barriers. Clients may look to us as key resources in getting their products, messages, and ideas into new markets. Upsetting target audiences by using language that is offensive or perpetuates stereotypes can be very problematic in most contexts.

Whether you’re a newcomer or veteran to the translation field, staying abreast of inclusive language best practices is a professional must. Below is a list of inclusive language resources that we have collected over time and continue to update. This list includes articles, style guides, term lists, webinars, and websites specializing in the areas of ability, age, appearance, ethnicity, race, gender, sexuality, socioeconomic status, and religion. If there are other resources you would like to see added to this list, please reach out to us at atasavvynewcomer@atanet.org.

Please note that the content of each resource reflects the opinion and beliefs of its publishing organization.

General

• The Conscious Style Guide (bank of resources and guides)
• Diversity Style Guide (list of over 700 terms)
• 18F: Ability, Age, Gender, Sexuality, Nationality, Race, Ethnicity, Religion
• Sum of Us: A Progressive’s Style Guide
• LSA: Guidelines for Inclusive Language
• ACES: Diversity and Inclusion Resources
• James Wants to Know You: The Language of Inclusion (24-page list of terms)

Ability

• National Center on Disability & Journalism: Disability Language Style Guide
• APA: Guidelines for Nonhandicapping Language

Ethnicity & Race

• MultiLingual: Race and Linguistics Webinar
• Chicago Tribune: Why is ‘people of color’ OK but not ‘colored people’? A reading list for white folks
• NPR:The Journey From ‘Colored’ To ‘Minorities’ To ‘People Of Color’
• Wired: What We Get Wrong About ‘People of Color’
• Why We Need to Stop Saying ‘People of Color’ When We Mean ‘Black People’
• NPR: Is It Time To Say R.I.P. To ‘POC’? (podcast)
• The New Yorker: The Perils of “People of Color”
• Slate: Defund Karen
  • A language podcast hosted by John Mcwhorter, a Columbia University linguistics professor and Black man. John discusses several current topics, among them his feelings on the term BIPOC and the capitalization of Black.
• Anti-racism Resources for White People (list of movies, podcasts, books, and organizations)
• NMAAHC: Race and Racial Identity
• Pew Research Center: Race is Central to Identity

Gender & Sexuality

• University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill: Gender-Inclusive Language
• Gender-Neutral Language – Spanish
• The Radical Copyeditor’s Style Guide for Writing About Transgender People
• GLAAD: Media Reference Guide

Socioeconomic Status

• APA: Guidelines for Socioeconomic Status