(WWJ) – Michigan State University’s “Inclusive Guide” is encouraging the campus community to refrain from using certain words and phrases in efforts to “ support belonging for all Spartans.”
The guide, updated annually, includes common holiday language such as “bunnies” or “eggs” when it comes to Easter and “Christmas trees,” and “reindeer” during the winter holiday season.
The guide says to avoid such “references to majority religious imagery and language” and instead use terms like “wishing you a wonderful winter/spring break” or “best wishes for the new year.”
The lengthy Inclusive Guide features best practices and terms to avoid for four areas: gender and sexuality; race and ethnicity; global identity; and disability.
MSU officials say the words are not “banned,” but just recommendations.
Other terms and phrases to avoid include “American-centric terms that could be detrimental to an underrepresented groups” such as “foreigner,” “alien,” “illegal immigrant,” “illegals,” or “America” when referring solely to the U.S., as opposed to North, Central and South American regions.
“The origins of seemingly innocuous idioms or words may be racist, sexist or ableist in nature, such as ‘cake walk,’ ‘peanut gallery,’ ‘grandfather clause,’ ‘tipping point,’ ‘rule of thumb’ or ‘bonkers.’ Consider the origins of everyday language before freely using it in communications,” the guide says.
The full Inclusive Guide can be found on the MSU website.
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