People love coming up with new & improved language. It’s supposed to include everyone, but the thing is, sometimes those phrases end up doing the opposite. We spoke to a few readers & here are eleven ‘inclusive’ phrases that still exclude people. Which one do you think is the most awkward when you hear it?
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Indigenous peoples
In theory, saying “indigenous peoples” covers all native groups. In reality, it comes with strict rules about who qualifies, as some governments require tribal enrollment numbers or official documents. That cuts out Afro-Indigenous people. Mixed-heritage people? They’re not included either, nor are those whose communities were displaced.
Underrepresented minorities
You might’ve seen job postings that say “we encourage underrepresented minorities to apply,” which companies like to frame as welcoming. Yet the wording makes people statistics. It doesn’t even name who it’s talking about, and instead, it boils whole identities down to there being not enough of them there. Reducing people to numbers does nothing.
Differently abled
Sure, “differently abled” puts a positive spin on disability. But the problem is that it’s so vague it barely means anything, as many disabled people feel like it ignores reality rather than acknowledging it. Saying “differently abled” doesn’t erase discrimination. Instead, it just erases the word “disabled,” making it inclusive on the surface, not in practice.
Pregnant people
Several government agencies or hospitals use “pregnant people” instead of “pregnant women,” but that doesn’t land the same way for everyone. Women who’ve always identified with the word feel erased. It’s like their role is suddenly off-limits. Sure, some people claim the language is inclusive. But it’s too sterile & strange for many women.
Chestfeeding
“Chestfeeding” is another term some people use. Yes, it’s meant to make space for trans men & non-binary parents, yet many women hate the switch. They think it sounds clunky & foreign. They claim it’s stripping away a word they’ve always used, meaning that what’s sold as progress ends up pushing away the very group doing the feeding.
Assigned female at birth
“AFAB” is an acronym that stands for “assigned female at birth.” Technically, it just describes the label someone got at birth. However, many women argue that the acronym feels cold. They say they’re being reduced to a code on a chart & such a term dismisses them, as well as their femininity. Why would anyone want them to feel that way?
People experiencing homelessness
Nonprofits & city programs love the phrase “people experiencing homelessness” because they think it’s supposed to sound more respectful than “homeless people.” It’s not. Plenty of people who’ve actually lived it call themselves homeless and don’t mind the word. In fact, they claim that this phrase comes across as rather condescending.
Parent 1 and Parent 2
On school forms & government paperwork, “Parent 1” and “Parent 2” have replaced “Mother” and “Father.” While the goal is to include same-sex parents, most moms & dads don’t want to be numbered. It’s not exactly inclusion. Instead, it’s more like bureaucracy swallowing up family roles. These have every right to be acknowledged.
People of color
You’ll hear this one a lot. But it’s not as broad as it sounds. In the USA, Middle Eastern & North African folks are categorized as “white” on government forms. That means that some Syrian or Lebanese people are, technically, not counted in the POC category, even though they’re obviously not treated like white Americans in their daily life.
BIPOC
The letters in BIPOC stand for Black, Indigenous & People of Color. And while it’s meant to highlight three groups in particular, it backfires because it lumps Asian & Arab into the “POC” pile. Worse still, it doesn’t do anything for mixed-race people. Such word choice ranks non-white people, and that just doesn’t seem right.
Latinx
Latinx was created to be gender-neutral & it looks good on paper. However, it doesn’t fit how Spanish is spoken. Many native speakers think it’s clunky or even unpronounceable, which is why they prefer to use Latino/Latina. This “unifying” term simply divides people. Either you accept the word, or you don’t.
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