Writing Standards
In order to present information in an accurate and unbiased manner, it's important to be aware of acceptable language and terminology, and which terms to avoid.
Below are links to style guides put together by GLAAD and NLGJA. While these guides are intended to assist professional journalists in their reporting of LGBTQ+ stories, they also serve as helpful guides for all writers and researchers in this area.
- GLAAD Media Reference Guide - 11th Edition"GLAAD's Media Reference Guide is intended to be used by journalists reporting for mainstream media outlets and by creators in entertainment media who want to tell LGBTQ people's stories fairly and accurately. It is not intended to be an all-inclusive glossary of language used within the LGBTQ community, nor is it a prescriptive guide for LGBTQ people."
- NLGJA Stylebook"NLGJA’s Stylebook Supplement on Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender and Queer Terminology is intended to complement the stylebooks of individual publications, as well as the Associated Press stylebook, the leading stylebook in U.S. newsrooms.
It reflects NLGJA’s mission to promote fair, accurate and inclusive coverage of lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and queer people, and includes words and phrases that have come into recent usage, in addition to earlier entries."
Gender Pronouns
"You can’t always know what someone’s pronouns are by looking at them. Asking and correctly using someone’s pronouns is one of the most basic ways to show your respect for their gender identity.
When someone is referred to with the wrong pronoun, it can make them feel disrespected, invalidated, dismissed, alienated, or dysphoric (often all of the above.)"
- Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender Resource Center, UWMilwaukee.
The chart below gives a few examples of gender pronouns, but be aware that there are many more pronouns that may be used.
Note: avoid using the phrase "preferred pronouns". As with gender, pronouns are not a preference; they just are.
Example: "My name is Jennifer and my pronouns are she/her. What are yours?"
