RULES OF USAGE
Inclusive language
Whenever possible , we should adapt our language to be inclusive of a variety of identities . In this section , we list several guidelines that can help us achieve this , but this guidance is not comprehensive .
Race
Being more inclusive of different races in our writing is a work in progress that is subject to change and requires continuous listening and learning , as are many of the topics discussed in this section . Always be thoughtful about when race should be brought into a story , and reach out for help and other perspectives if you are unsure .
General guidelines :
• Capitalize Black and Indigenous , but do not capitalize white , when referring to people ’ s racial identities .
• Never refer to someone as “ brown .”
• Always follow this order when listing identities of Black individuals : Black , African and / or African American .
• Never refer to an individual or community as “ minority .” Choose words , such as “ minoritized ” or “ underrepresented ” instead .
• Per AP style , Latino is the default way to refer to someone from Latin America , with Latina serving as the feminine form . However , follow an individual ’ s preference when it comes to this term and other options such as Latinx , Hispanic or others .
Gender vs . Sex
Sex describes the sex a child is assigned at birth based on the reproductive organs they have . Use the word “ sex ” to describe the anatomy a baby is born with ( male , female , etc .). Gender refers to the social or cultural identity . Writers can use gendered terms , such as boy , girl or nonbinary .
Gendered language
We aim to be inclusive of all genders and people in the language we use and recognize that not everyone falls into the gender binary of man and woman . Our goal in striving for more inclusivity in the words we choose is not to remove gender or the many experiences tied to it , but rather to extend our messages to additional people who might identify as nonbinary , transgender , two-spirit and more .
Note that this conversation is nuanced , and each piece of content may require different approaches . Within one story , a writer might use each of the terms outlined below in different ways and combinations to convey different points . We trust our writers to use this general guidance , in combination with their expert judgement , to make decisions that best serve our audiences .
Pregnancy
• As a general guidance , consider using pregnant patient , expecting parent or other inclusive descriptors instead of always defaulting to pregnant mom / woman .
• Instead of saying mom , consider saying parent .
• When the content and audience segment allow , lean into second-person language , especially in patient-facing materials . - Example : You and your baby ...
Continued on next page
Brand Guidelines 2024-08 33