Thanks again to all who attended our recent EDI best practices for websites event! We're launching a series of articles to highlight some of the EDI-related guidelines and resources mentioned by our presenters. Our first instalment features a rundown of recommended style guides shared by Andrea Clegg, McGill's Senior Employment Equity Advisor.
If you write / create content for McGill's digital spaces here are some new tools to add to your toolkit!
Elements of Indigenous style : a guide for writing by and about Indigenous Peoples
This resource includes guidelines to help writers, editors, and publishers produce material that reflects Indigenous people in an appropriate and respectful manner.This resource evolved from the house style guide Gregory developed at Theytus, the first Aboriginal-owned publishing house in Canada. Elements of Indigenous Style contains:
- A historical overview of the portrayal of Indigenous peoples in literature
- Common errors and how to avoid them when writing about Indigenous peoples
- Guidance on working in a culturally sensitive way
- A discussion of problematic and preferred terminology
- Suggestions for editorial guidelines
View Elements of Indigenous Style: A Guide for Writing By and About Indigenous Peoples
GLAAD Media Reference Guide – 11th Edition
GLAAD’s Media Reference Guide offers education and guidance for content creators in telling the stories of LGBTQ people fairly and accurately. A practice recommended throughout the Guide is to ask people how they describe themselves, ask people their pronouns, and identify them accordingly.
View the GLAAD. n.d. Media Reference Guide – 11th Edition
For further information contact, press [at] glaad.org
Guide de communication inclusive: Pour des communications qui mobilisent, transformant et ont du style!
Coordinator and main editor: Julie Gagné, University of Quebec
This guide is the result of a collective effort of the equity, diversity and inclusion (EDI) community of practice from the University of Quebec, with the support of several other colleagues from the University of Quebec network team and community partners.
A Progressive’s Style Guide
Hanna Thomas (SumOfUs.org)
Anna Hirsch (ActivistEditor.com)
Toward Harnessing Language in Support of Intersectionality and Cross-sector Power Building
A guide that sparks a conversation about language for drivers of progressive change – community members, grassroots leaders, activists, and progressive funders. Up-to-date word choice and phrasing for current theory of change directions and momentum across groups and issue areas presented in this guide.
University of British Columbia. Indigenous Peoples: Language Guidelines, 2021, Version 3.0
Guidelines produced to help communicators navigate the terminology and meanings associated with this subject in order to produce the best — and most respectful — results, with the recognition that, as time passes, the terminology is subject to change and this guide will again need to be refreshed.
View the University of British Columbia. Indigenous Peoples: Language Guidelines
Your guide to fair & inclusive reporting with 2 Spirit, trans, and gender-diverse communities
A guide to fair & inclusive reporting with 2 Spirit, trans, and gender-diverse communities, co-created with community activists and leaders. The guide is informed by community conversations and will support anyone who wants to produce better journalism, champion inclusion, and expand their learning and allyship.
View The 519. 2018. Media Reference Guide
Related resources and next steps
- Sign-up for Equity at McGill, Workshops for Staff
- View McGill's EDI-related strategic documents
