Inclusive Language in IT Services

All UWindsor IT staff are expected to utilize inclusive technical language in work-related conversations and documentation. Outlined below is a list of approved, commonly accepted alternative terms to replace oppressive and / or offensive terminology. Anyone looking to propose additional alternative terms or replace an oppressive and / or offensive phrases and words can submit a request at any time using the online feedback tool. New requests will be sent to and reviewed by IT Services and / or other departments as required.

General Inclusive Language Principles

• Put people first: Default to person-first constructions that put the person ahead of their characteristics, e.g., instead of “a blind man” or “a female engineer,” use “a man who is blind” or “a woman on our engineering team.”  Mention characteristics like gender, sexual orientation, religion, racial group or ability only when relevant to the discussion.
• Avoid idioms, jargons, and acronyms: Jargon and acronyms can exclude people who may not have specialized knowledge of a particular subject and impede effective communication as a result
• If you aren’t sure, ask. Strive to include language that reflects peoples’ choice and style in how they talk about themselves.

Resources for specific technical changes

• Git revision control: "Changing the master branch name". See also Gitlab instructions.

Sources

• https://www.educause.edu/about/diversity-equity-and-inclusion/resources
• https://www.avixa.org/about-us/a-culture-of-inclusion
• https://www.uwindsor.ca/humanresources/sites/uwindsor.ca.humanresources/files/serviceexcellence_wordsmatterweb.pdf