Writing About People

When you write something as part of your job at the U-M Library, you’re writing on behalf of our organization.  The guidance here is broadly applicable and we encourage following it anytime you’re writing (emails, blogs posts, internal newsletter items, etc.).

Overarching principles

Write about people in a way that is in keeping with our mission and values, and furthers our commitment to diversity, inclusion, equity, and accessibility. 

Try to actively reduce harm with language, and recognize that the impact of our words matters more than our intention. 

The most critical thing to practice when writing about people is humanity. We rely on three overarching principles:

  • There is no need to describe people’s gender, sexuality, race, ethnicity, religion, disability, mental health, age, or other aspects of their identity unless it’s relevant. 
  • Never make assumptions about any aspect of another person’s identity. 
  • Always consider your audience and the context of what you’re writing about.

Non-binary language

Don’t use terms that reinforce a static gender binary, such as men and women, chairman of the board, or councilman. 

Instead, use neutral, non-binary language:

  • colleagues, teammates, team
  • people or person
  • all, everyone 
  • you, them, their (singular)
  • chair
  • councilperson

Gender and sexuality

When someone’s sex, gender identity, sexual orientation, marital status, or family relationships is relevant, check your assumptions and avoid defaulting to heteronormativity and cisnormativity.

  • See pronouns for specific guidance.
  • Use spouse or partner instead of husband and wife.
  • Use parent instead of mother and father.

On forms, don't include gender as a field unless there's a reason to collect that information. If there is:

  • Instead of "select gender" use "Which of the following best describes you?" 
  • Instead of using “Other” as an option, use “I identify as” with a write-in space.

Pronouns 

Check online profiles, or ask what pronouns someone uses.

For people who use rolling pronouns, ask which one they'd like you to use for whatever you’re writing.

If someone’s pronouns have changed from what they previously used, always use their current pronouns (even when writing about the past) unless they tell you differently.

If someone doesn't share their pronouns, you can: 

When referring to a person's pronoun use, don't write "preferred pronouns." Instead:

  • Tobias’s pronouns are they and them. 
  • Tobias uses they and them pronouns. 

Names

People change their names for all sorts of reasons. 

For those who do so (whether legally or not) to align with their gender identity, using their birth or former name without permission is sometimes called “deadnaming” and can be harmful. Read more about this and more in the Trans Journalists Associations Style Guide.

As with pronouns, if you’re writing about someone who previously went by a different name, always use their current, chosen name. This includes if you’re writing about that person in the past unless they tell you differently.

Race, ethnicity, and religion

Ask individuals how they want their race, ethnicity, or religious identity to be described when it’s relevant. When writing about people in broader terms or describing groups, it can require careful thought. The best choice will likely be dependent on the context the description will sit in. 

Capitalize Black when used to describe race, but not white or brown. As a descriptor of race, white does not carry deeper meaning as Black does, while brown is broad and imprecise. This approach aligns with decisions of the Associated Press.

Don’t center whiteness or western culture 

Don’t center whiteness or treat it as a default. For example, don’t use terms like skin, flesh, or nude to describe color palettes, or use phrases such as non-white or minorities.

People of color is an acceptable term for describing people who are not white for general purposes. When specifically discussing the impacts of racism that have an outsized impact on Black and Indigenous peoples, use Black, Indigenous and people of color (BIPOC) instead. And take some time to understand the discourse behind these choices.

Also remember that western culture often dominates the narrative and imposes language on other identities (like the labels the census creates for race). 

Guidance for describing specific groups

When talking about a specific group, name them individually. For example, if you’re writing about the over-policing of Black communities, don't use the term BIPOC.

When describing specific groups is necessary, always err towards being as specific as possible and be aware of the complexities within racial, ethnic, and religious identities. We offer initial guidance here on some specific groups, but encourage doing your own research.

Asian American and AAPI

  • Asian American is an acceptable term, but keep in mind the diaspora comprises roughly 50 ethnic groups and you should not represent them as a monolith. Identify the specific experience being represented when relevant and possible.
  • Asian American and Pacific Islander (AAPI) is sweeping and presumes commonalities among ethnicities and cultures that are in fact very distinct from one another. Use with caution under the same considerations as Asian American.

Hispanic, Latina/Latino, Chicana/Chicano

  • Hispanic and Latina/Latino are ethnicities. People who identify with them can be any race.
  • Latinx is a gender neutral term for referring to people of Latin American cultural or ethnic identity, but familiarity with it is limited outside of academia. 
  • Chicana/Chicano is a term for people of Mexican descent specifically. 
  • Some have begun adopting Latin@ and Chican@ as a simultaneous presentation. 
  • Preference for and commonality of terms varies among individuals and even within regions. In all cases, use thoughtfully. 

Indigenous peoples

Familiarize yourself with specific racist phrases and terms in use today and their origins so that you can avoid them. Resources like the Diversity Style Guide provide context about different words to help you choose thoughtfully.

Disability and mental health

If someone’s disability or mental health is relevant, ask the person how they prefer to be described. 

While the person-first language approach (for example, “people who have low vision”) is useful for general descriptions, don't use it at the expense of an individual's personal preference.

Don't imply that people who have disabilities are heroes, special, or courageous just for going about their day. Stay away from deficit-framing (defining people by their perceived problems) and don’t use phrases like “suffers from,” “struggles with,” or “victim of” to describe them either.

  • Use this: Bob uses a wheelchair.
  • Not this: Bob is wheel-chair bound.
  • Or this: Bob is confined to a wheelchair.

You can find more guidance in resources like the Disability Language Style Guide and the Center for Disability Rights’ Disability Writing Guidelines.

Age 

If someone’s age is relevant, be precise (with an exact age, or a generalization such as "people in their 20s"). 

Don't use language that people may find belittling or condescending, such as elderly, aged, or youngster. 

While it’s appropriate to use generational labels (such as Millennials or Baby Boomers) when describing data or demographics, do not use them as characteristics to describe individuals.

Other aspects of identity

The sections covered here aim to represent the core aspects of people’s identities that could come up in writing for the library, but there are many other things that may comprise someone’s lived experience. 

There are a few more we want to note. When writing about:

And as with all of the guidance here, remember our overarching principles.

Racist and bigoted phrases and terms

Many words in casual use today have origins rooted in oppression and white supremacy. Some examples include:

  • Let’s circle the wagons
  • Can you hold down the fort?
  • Long time no see!
  • Dark UX or dark patterns
  • Master and slave (often found in coding and documentation)

Although we might have used some of these terms without realizing their original meaning, continuing to do so after we know better can cause further harm and continue to perpetrate stereotypes. There are always neutral alternatives. 

To learn about these terms and their history, we recommend the following resources:

Recovering from harm

Human beings are complex and each individual comes to your writing with a unique perspective and experience.

If you write something and an individual or group shares that it harmed or offended them, please contact LibraryComm@umich.edu before responding. They will provide support, advice, and resources to aid in communication recovery.