Words have Power
I don’t think any of us refute that statement. Words can empower and uplift people or isolate them and cause harm. My training as a teaching assistant taught me many useful skills. It also gave me valuable information about the use of inclusive language with children and young people.
However, this is such a large subject that I’ve invited a guest to answer a few questions about conscious language. Crystal Shelley is the owner of Rabbit with a Red Pen. She provides editing and authenticity reading services to fiction authors. I’ve heard Crystal speak about the importance of conscious language on podcasts and read her blog posts on the subject.
Hi Crystal and welcome to The BG Blog,
Q1. For anyone who doesn’t know, what is conscious language, and does it differ from gendered language and inclusive language?
Conscious language is a coin termed by a writer and editor named Karen Yin. She describes it as “language rooted in critical thinking and compassion, used skillfully in a specific context.” The goal of the conscious language approach is to consider how the writer’s intent can be best achieved based on the context of the piece, which might require questioning language and framing that is commonly used but possibly biased, harmful, or exclusive.
Inclusive language is similar, but the idea of critical assessment based on context and intent isn’t necessarily built into inclusive language. Gendered language refers to language that references gender, such as saying “mankind” or “ladies and gentlemen.” There’s been a push for gender-neutral language when the intent is to speak to a broader audience, regardless of gender, such as saying “humankind” or “folks.”
Q2. When did you first become aware of conscious language, and what drew you into championing it in the publishing industry?
I first became aware of conscious language in 2019 when I started my freelance editing business, but I’ve been conscious of my own language since what feels like forever. When I discovered Karen Yin’s website Conscious Style Guide, which is what started the conscious language movement, I found a name for what I’d been doing.
As an editor, I’m looking critically at the works I’m editing for anything that will make a reader pause, stumble, or stop reading. This includes when language or representation is potentially harmful. I believe it should be part of every editor’s job to look for these types of issues and to let the writer know about them so they can make informed choices for their work. That’s why I advocate for it in the publishing industry and created the Conscious Language Toolkits for Writers and for Editors.
Q3. What is sensitivity reading, and is authenticity reading the same thing?
Sensitivity reading, which I call authenticity reading for reasons outlined in an article I wrote, is a service that’s used when writers want feedback about an identity or experience they’re writing about from someone who has that identity or experience. It’s often used when the writer is writing outside of what they know. The reader can evaluate how the writer handled things—what’s done well, what’s inaccurate, and what might need to be adjusted. For example, if I’m writing a blind character but I’m not blind myself, I can hire an authenticity reader who’s blind to assess how well I represented what a blind person’s experience might be like.
Q4. What steps can writers take to ensure that they’re not inadvertently distorting their intended meaning? Or, worst-case scenario, offending their readers!
Learning about language is so critical, such as the origins of terms or phrases, how they’ve been used to harm or oppress groups, and what alternatives can be used instead. This can be a daunting undertaking, and the learning process is never-ending. There are tons of resources out there about language, and I recommend going to the source and learning from those who are directly affected by the language being used. (I list some resources below.)
Recognizing our unconscious biases is also an uncomfortable but necessary step in the learning process. Taking tests from Project Implicit can help reveal biases, and based on those results, you can seek out resources to learn more.
Asking someone to look at the writing and offer honest feedback can also be helpful. Ideally, this should be someone from your target audience.
Q5. Could you recommend 5 useful resources should my readers want to learn more about conscious language.
There are tons of resources out there, but here are some of the ones I recommend most often, in addition to Conscious Style Guide:
- APA bias-free language guide
- NCDJ style guide
- Radical Copyeditor
- Trans Journalists Association style guide
- GLAAD Media Reference Guide
Crystal Shelley is the owner of Rabbit with a Red Pen, where she provides editing and authenticity reading services to fiction authors. Drawing on her background as a social worker, she unites her love of language and her passion for social justice by advocating conscious language use and inclusive representation in her editorial work.
She is the creator of the Conscious Language Toolkits for Editors and Writers and serves on the board of ACES: The Society for Editing. When she’s not working with words, she’s probably swearing at a video game.
Connect with her on Twitter, Instagram, and LinkedIn.
I hope that you enjoyed this post and found it as informative as I did. Ensure we are being as inclusive as possible when in conversation and in our writing. I love Crystal’s passion for the written word and her community spirit. She’s an editing treasure! 💙
Do you follow Crystal on any of her social media accounts? Please take a moment to visit her blog, Rabbit with a Red Pen like, follow and comment on a few posts.
For more helpful resources about the craft of writing, check out my Resource Library.
