Rival IQ aims to be inclusive of all people and abilities, and one of the ways we strive to do that is through the intentional use of language. We created this guide to provide explanations and substitutions for words that are ableist and\/or exclusionary.<\/p>\n
We’ve sourced our list of words to avoid via research and from our own experiences, and plan to evolve this list over time as we continue to learn more. We’ve crawled our website and blog to remove these words wherever possible, and work to use inclusive and accurate language in our everyday conversations as well with each other, with our customers, and on our social media channels.<\/p>\n
You can read more about how we conducted our inclusivity audit<\/a> here at Rival IQ. If you’re interested in conducting an audit of your own, we list several resources at the bottom of this page that can help you get started.<\/p>\n Bananas\u00a0<\/b><\/p>\n Don\u2019t use it to mean this: Refers to someone with mental or psychiatric disabilities. Consider instead: Wild, improbable, unexpected, confusing<\/i><\/p>\n Blind<\/b><\/p>\n Don\u2019t use it to mean this: Refers to not paying attention or being lazy. Consider instead: Willfully ignorant, deliberately ignored, feigned ignorance, thoughtless<\/i><\/p>\n Bonkers<\/b><\/p>\n Don\u2019t use it to mean this: Refers to someone with mental or psychiatric disabilities.<\/p>\n Consider instead: Wild, improbable, unexpected, confusing<\/i><\/p>\n Brown bag lunch<\/b><\/p>\n Don\u2019t use it to mean this: Refers to a gathering where every attendee brings their own lunch.<\/p>\n Consider instead: Meeting, lunch, lunch-and-learn, sack lunch Crazy<\/b><\/p>\n Don\u2019t use it to mean this: Refers to someone with mental or psychiatric disabilities. Often used as an exclamation.<\/p>\n Consider instead: Wild, improbable, unexpected, confusing, unbelievable, illogical<\/i><\/p>\n Crippled<\/b><\/p>\n Don\u2019t use it to mean this: Refers to people with physical or mobility disabilities. Consider instead: Frozen by, halted by<\/i><\/p>\n Deaf<\/b><\/p>\n Don\u2019t use it to mean this: As a metaphor for not listening. Consider instead: Willfully ignorant, deliberately ignored, feigned ignorance, insensitive, thoughtless<\/i><\/p>\n Dumb<\/b><\/p>\n Don\u2019t use it to mean this: Refers to d\/Deaf or hard of hearing people, people with speech-related disabilities, or people with linguistic or communication disorders or disabilities.<\/p>\n Consider instead: Dense, ignorant, lacks understanding, silly, goofy<\/i><\/p>\n Gals<\/b><\/p>\n Don\u2019t use it to mean this: Often used to refer to a group of adult women. Consider instead: Women<\/i><\/p>\n Girls<\/b><\/p>\n Don\u2019t use it to mean this: Refers to a group of adult women. Consider instead: Women<\/i><\/p>\n Grandfathered<\/b><\/p>\n Don\u2019t use it to mean this: Refers to exempting someone from a new rule or requirement.<\/p>\n Consider instead: Legacied, inherited Guys<\/b><\/p>\n Don\u2019t use it to mean this: Often used to refer to a multi-gendered group of people. Consider instead: Folks, team, y\u2019all, both, you two, you all<\/i><\/p>\n Gyp\u00a0<\/strong>or\u00a0Gypped\/Jipped<\/strong><\/p>\n Don’t use it to mean this: Cheated or get conned<\/p>\n Consider instead: Cheated He (as default when subject gender is unknown)<\/b><\/p>\n Don\u2019t use it to mean this: Refers to an individual when gender is unknown. Consider instead: They, letter carrier, firefighter Insane<\/b><\/p>\n Don\u2019t use it to mean this: Refers to someone with mental or psychiatric disabilities. Often used as an exclamation.<\/p>\n Consider instead: Wild, improbable, unexpected, confusing<\/i><\/p>\n Ladies<\/b><\/p>\n Don\u2019t use it to mean this: Refers to a group of adult women.<\/p>\n Consider instead: Women<\/i><\/p>\n Lame<\/b><\/p>\n Don\u2019t use it to mean this: Refers to someone with physical or mobility disabilities. Often used as an exclamation. Consider instead: Uncool, boring, monotonous, uninteresting, lackluster<\/i><\/p>\n Long Time No See<\/strong><\/p>\n Don’t use it to mean this: a greeting<\/p>\n Consider instead: “It’s been a while,” “Nice to see you” Mad\u00a0<\/b><\/p>\n Don\u2019t use it to mean this: Refers to someone with mental or psychiatric disabilities. Often used as an exclamation. Consider instead: Wild, improbable, unexpected, confusing<\/i><\/p>\n Manhandle<\/b><\/p>\n Don\u2019t use it to mean this: Refers to roughly holding someone with force.<\/p>\n Consider instead (to remove gender): Force, push, handle<\/i><\/p>\n Manpower<\/b><\/p>\n Don\u2019t use it to mean this: Refers to effort or people required to accomplish something.<\/p>\n Consider instead (to remove gender): Effort, people power, crew, team<\/i><\/p>\n Native<\/b><\/p>\n Don\u2019t use it to mean this: Refers to a non-indigenous person\u2019s place of birth. Acceptable uses: native technology, native channels\/apps, native plants, Native Americans <\/i>Further reading<\/a><\/p>\n No Can Do<\/strong><\/p>\n Don’t use it to mean this: I can’t, I don’t want to<\/p>\n Consider instead: I can’t, I don’t want to Nuts\u00a0<\/b><\/p>\n Don\u2019t use it to mean this: Refers to someone with mental or psychiatric disabilities. Often used as an exclamation. Consider instead: Wild, improbable, unexpected, confusing<\/i><\/p>\n Peanut gallery<\/strong><\/p>\n Don’t use it to mean: hecklers, cheap seats, opinions from a group<\/p>\n Consider instead: hecklers, opinions from a group<\/em><\/p>\n Further reading\u00a0<\/a><\/p>\n Pow-wow\u00a0<\/b><\/p>\n Don\u2019t use it to mean this: Often used to refer to a meeting of non-Indigenous people. Consider instead: Meeting, gathering, chat, talk, conversation Sanity check<\/b><\/p>\n Don\u2019t use it to mean this: Refers to people with mental or psychiatric disabilities. Often used as a metaphor for double-checking.<\/p>\n Consider instead: Audit, a second look, sense check Slave\/slaved<\/b><\/p>\n Don\u2019t use it to mean this: Refers to a metaphor for hard work. Consider instead: Toil, slog, work hard, grind<\/i><\/p>\n Sold Down the River<\/strong><\/p>\n Don’t use it to mean this: Betrayed, lied to<\/p>\n Consider instead: betrayed, lied to, screwed over Shuck and Jive<\/strong><\/p>\n Don’t use it to mean: Lying, misleading, joking<\/p>\n Further reading<\/a><\/p>\n Thug<\/strong><\/p>\n Don’t use it to mean this: Violent criminal<\/p>\n Consider instead: Violent criminal Uppity<\/strong><\/p>\n Don’t use it to mean this: arrogant, self-important<\/p>\n Consider instead: arrogant, self-important, conceited<\/em><\/p>\n Further reading<\/a><\/p>\n Welfare Queen<\/strong><\/p>\n Don’t use it to mean: Someone in need of financial or programmatic assistance<\/p>\n Further reading<\/a><\/p>\n Autistic Hoya: https:\/\/www.autistichoya.com\/p\/ableist-words-and-terms-to-avoid.html<\/b><\/a><\/p>\n Conscious Style Guide: http:\/\/consciousstyleguide.com\/ability-disability\/<\/b><\/a><\/p>\n Helpscout: https:\/\/www.helpscout.com\/blog\/inclusive-language\/<\/b><\/a><\/p>\nAbleist\/exclusive language to avoid<\/h2>\n
\nUse it like this: Refers to fruit.<\/p>\n
\nUse it like this: Refers to blind, low-sight, or sight-limited people.
\nCommon uses: \u201cTurn a blind eye,\u201d \u201cBlinded by ___\u201d<\/p>\n
\n<\/i>Further reading<\/a><\/p>\n
\nCommon uses: \u201cCrippled by debt\u201d<\/p>\n
\nUse it like this: Refers to d\/Deaf or hard of hearing people.
\nCommon uses: \u201cFalls on deaf ears,\u201d \u201cDeaf to their concerns\u201d<\/p>\n
\nUse it like this: Refers to adolescent females.<\/p>\n
\nUse it like this: Refers to adolescent females.<\/p>\n
\n<\/i>Further reading<\/a><\/p>\n
\nUse it like this: Refers to a group of men.<\/p>\n
\n<\/em>Further reading<\/a><\/p>\n
\nUse it like this: In cases where male gender is empirically known.
\nCommon uses: \u201cHe said,\u201d \u201cPostman,\u201d \u201cFireman\u201d<\/p>\n
\n<\/i>Further reading<\/a><\/p>\n
\nCommon uses: \u201cThat\u2019s so lame,\u201d \u201cDon\u2019t be lame\u201d<\/p>\n
\nFurther reading<\/a><\/p>\n
\nUse it like this: Refers to a feeling (\u201cI\u2019m so mad\u201d)<\/p>\n
\nUse it to mean this: Refers to an individual indigenous to a place.<\/p>\n
\nConsider instead: From [this place], Was born in [this place]<\/i><\/p>\n
\n<\/em>Further reading<\/a><\/p>\n
\nUse it to mean this: Refers to food.<\/p>\n
\nUse it to mean this: Refers to a social gathering of Native Americans.<\/p>\n
\n<\/i>Further reading<\/a><\/p>\n
\n<\/i>Further reading<\/a><\/p>\n
\nUse it to mean this: Refers to a person who is the property of another person.
\nCommon uses: \u201cSlaved over a hot stove,\u201d \u201cI\u2019m a slave to social media\u201d<\/p>\n
\n<\/em>Further reading<\/a><\/p>\n
\n<\/em>Further reading<\/a><\/p>\nInclusive language guide sources and more info<\/h2>\n