The Power of Words

Inclusive language for mental health and disability

Yesterday, I had the pleasure of giving a break-out session to a packed room of HR professionals on the importance of inclusive language in mental health.

As a bipolar woman who has experienced the harmful and painful impact of stigma first-hand, this topic is near and dear to my heart.

I recently wrote an article on the impact seemingly small changes had on my acceptance of my mental illness and why preference is essential. In yesterday's session, I was happy to share my story and expand on the importance of ongoing conversation and curiosity as language evolves (as it inevitably does.)

Here are some key takeaways, definitions, and resources to help us become more inclusive leaders who build trust and safety across our organizations and teams through inclusive language.

The Basics

What is Inclusion?

According to the Center for Creative Leadership, inclusive leadership looks like the following:

"Inclusive leaders are individuals who are aware of their own biases and actively seek out and consider different perspectives to inform their decision-making and collaborate more effectively with others.

Inclusive leadership also means that leaders commit to ensuring all team members:

• Are treated equitably,

• Feel a sense of belonging and value, and

• Have the resources and support they need to achieve their full potential."

I especially love their seven acts of Inclusive leadership:

1. Deepen your self-awareness.

2. Foster social awareness.

3. Reveal blind spots. (Personal note: I would change "blind spots" to "areas for growth" or something similar)

4. Listen to understand

5. Create connections

6. Lead with courageous vulnerability

7. Invest resources in inclusion

What is Inclusive Language?

According to Hubspot,

"Inclusive language is the words and phrases you use that avoid biases, slang, and expressions that discriminate against groups of people based on race, gender, socioeconomic status, and ability. When used, you can resonate with more audiences by speaking and writing in ways that everyone understands and makes everyone feel welcome."

At its core, inclusive language is about building trust and showing you value every person's individual experiences and preferences.

What is Ableist Language?

One of the excellent comments from yesterday's session was how often we say things we may not know have negative, harmful, or discriminatory roots or meanings.

For those who don't live with a disability or work in the field, you may not know about ableism or ableist language.

Access Living defines ableism as:

"Ableism is the discrimination of and social prejudice against people with disabilities based on the belief that typical abilities are superior. At its heart, ableism is rooted in the assumption that disabled people require 'fixing' and defines people by their disability."

While it is okay to "not know what you don't know," here are some resources to help you become a better advocate and ally and expand your understanding of the issue.

Resources on ableist language and how to avoid it (list sourced from University of Washington's Disability, Opportunities, Internetworking, and Technology):

Learn more about ableist language:

• ACES-The Society for Editing: Ableism in Writing and Everyday Language

• The BBC: The Harmful Ableist Language You Unknowingly Use

• Harvard Business Review: Why You Need to Stop Using These Words and Phrases

Learn more about ableism in general:

• AccessLiving: Ableism 101

• The Bernard College Center for Research on Women: No Body Is Disposable

• Invisible Disabilities Association: Looks Can Be Deceiving

• National Public Radio: People With Invisible Disabilities Fight for Understanding

Inclusive Language: The Why, What, and How

Why does it matter?

As we learned in the definitions, inclusion creates trust and feelings of value and respect. So why does a word change have so much power over our connection to one another?

One reason is that an actual neurological response is happening in our brains called "Associative Activation."  

Associative activation is when we have a visceral negative reaction to stigmatizing language. When we hear or see words, our brains quickly move through how to process the information. When we hear or see a word, an idea of the word will be formed, swiftly followed by an emotion, often leading to a reaction or action. All of this happens without us even realizing it.

Because of this very natural human process, we can have an immediate, visceral reaction to words that feel stigmatizing, discriminatory, or negatively biased. This response both helps and hurts our cause when fighting stigma.

On the one hand, associative activation perpetuates stigma. Suppose you have only heard words like "crazy" or "bipolar" in a negative or dangerous context. In that case, your body will associate those words with fear or negative emotions.

However, this also demonstrates the need to actively remove the inappropriate usage of these words in stigmatizing ways.

Associative activation demonstrates why we need to be mindful of our words. By changing our language to be more inclusive, we can change our emotional and bodily responses to diminish stigma.

anxiety.positive

A post shared by @anxiety.positive

What are the benefits?

Let's go back to the positives of inclusive language. Not only will we change people's physical response to misunderstood and stigmatized terms, but we will:

• Build trust

• Create feelings of value and belonging

• Minimize confusion (and save time)

• Retain employees

• Increase innovation

• Strengthen community

How do we practice inclusive language?