Inclusive Language

Scholars and professionals alike are expected to write inclusively, that is, to demonstrate respect for all people, to welcome everyone to academic conversations, to value multiple ways of knowing and learning, to recognize every person’s agency, contribution, and right to belong.

Many members of the academic community (and many subjects of our scholarly research) are, and have been, marginalized; this marginalization robs us all of a richer, more complex and nuanced understanding of the world. Inclusive writing recognizes, respects, and includes community members of all identities and lived experiences.

We encourage you to apply Queen’s principles of inclusive writing to your own work. We also invite you to reflect on how your writing can play a role in including or excluding your peers, colleagues, and others in our diverse community.

student sits reading in library stacks