Being at such a diverse and liberal school teaches you a lot about how many different types of people there are. It’s important to be aware of your speech, and how it may be offensive. Below are three terms for you to think about introducing into your everyday language to ensure you are always inclusive.
Person of Color
If you don’t know someone’s ethnicity, don’t ask. What does it matter? There is a scene in Parks and Recreation where Leslie asks Tom where he’s from. He says, “South Carolina.” She says, “No, I mean before that.” He replies, “My mother’s womb.” Don’t assume that someone isn’t from the United States just because of his/her skin color. It’s usually best to refer to someone as a person of color (if their color is relevant to the conversation) to avoid generalizations. There is debate on whether it is appropriate to say black instead of African American, and the truth is, it varies for each individual person of color. Keep it simple, and keep it non-offensive.
Person
The gender binary is slowly crumbling before our own eyes. Target removed gendered signs in toy aisles, boys wear makeup, and people are seen as their personalities before their gender; however, some people still get caught up in making sure to assign gender roles. But what does it really matter? Some people are girls, some are boys, some are both at different times, and some are neither, ever.
This year the English language saw a big change by including the singular “they” as grammatically acceptable. If someone doesn’t detail their pronoun, it’s best to be on the safe side and use “they.”
Significant Other
This term kind of goes along with the previous, in that it avoids assuming a gender. When your relatives all ask if you have a boyfriend, sometimes they may be assuming the wrong partner for you. Wouldn’t it be cool for all LQBTQA+ people if their relatives asked them, “Are you dating anyone?” Rather than focusing on only one option.
It’s easy to get caught up in what words to use and when, but remember, we are all people, and that’s what is important.