Conscious Language

Conscious language, also called inclusive language or intentional language, is about the conscious or intentional choice of words. Conscious language centres the concept of care for the audience, and it acknowledges the history and consequence of language on a diverse readership. It isn’t about censoring a writer; it’s about acknowledging that the words we use have power beyond what we intend, and if we use language that negatively impacts others, we should be using it with intention and awareness.

In short, the purpose of conscious language is to ensure language choices are intentionally made.

The concepts and language that are addressed in conscious language assessments include problematic language and stereotypes surrounding the following things:

• age

• body size

• disability

• education

• ethnicity

• food

• gender expression

• gender identity

• migration status

• race

• religion

• sexual orientation

• socioeconomic status

A conscious language assessment is not a traditional edit. No changes are made to the text; instead, relevant passages and suggested alternatives are noted in comments, and it is left to the writer to decide whether or not they wish to make any changes.

What is it?

Who is it for?

Any manuscript or document can benefit from a conscious language assessment. Everyone has unconscious biases, and English is rife with language and tropes that can be unintentionally harmful. Actively choosing to avoid this language is an invisible labour: most of the time, a reader won’t be aware that certain words or phrases are missing or have been replaced. But the presence of this language can jar a reader out of a narrative and can affect whether or not a reader will finish a piece and their willingness to accept a writer’s ideas