Our Purpose
Welcome to Language, Please — a living resource for journalists, storytellers, marketers and advertisers, and other professionals seeking to thoughtfully approach evolving social, cultural, and identity-related issues.
You might be an editor looking to understand the history of a sensitive word; a copywriter aiming to craft messaging that genuinely resonates with your target audience; or a manager on deadline looking for tools to help your team succeed. The challenge is the same: Language is ever-evolving, and the words and framing we choose can have lasting, consequential outcomes.
At a time of changing standards, our aim is to provide the greater context behind the shifting use of terms, connect related concepts, and inform thoughtful decision-making.
On this site, you will find robust style guidance covering many facets of identity, such as race and ethnicity, religion and spirituality, and more. You’ll also find a suite of editorial tools aimed at sparking conversations and thoughtful decision-making around story framing and language usage; and a directory of independent inclusivity reviewers who can be hired at any stage in a project.
Resources for marketers and advertisers include a data-driven report on consumer attitudes toward DEI issues and tactics; a slide deck that explores the unique interests and preferences of various audience segments; a glossary of marketing terms that provides history and greater context around their evolving use; and downloadable tip sheets with best practices on crafting and deploying campaigns.
We created these resources with the understanding that there is no one-size-fits-all answer to the thorny questions of changing language standards. You know your audiences and your mission best, and our judgment on how language usage is (and should be) evolving might not match yours. If you don’t agree with all the guidance you find here, that’s part of the point! We intend for this site to be regularly updated as these debates evolve, and your input can be a big part of ensuring the resources continue to be useful decision-making tools. We welcome your feedback — please get in touch.
Language, Please is an Anthem Award-winning and Webby Award-nominated project established by Vox Media with funding from the Google News Initiative’s Innovation Challenge. This is a shared effort by a diverse group of writers, editors, researchers, marketers and advertisers, designers, engineers, industry leaders, DEI advocates, human resource and legal professionals, and more. It is inspired by and builds on the crucial work of many organizations and resources — including those listed below — and feedback from members of the Language, Please Advisory Council.
The name Language, Please is both an ask and a call to action: a reminder of how vital it is to engage in conversations about how we use language and why it matters. And it reflects our intent with this project: to give context instead of edicts; to compile guidance on social, cultural, and identity-related topics — and the countless ways they intersect — all in one place.
Essential resources
Language, Please is not intended to replace or erase the amazing work so many journalists, academics, advocates, and others have done in these spaces, but to build on their incredible work. Please see some of the resources that informed this project below, and others linked throughout the style guidance.
- ACES: AP Stylebook updates race-related terms
- ADA National Network: Guidance for Writing About People with Disabilities
- American Diversity Report
- Asian American Journalists Association Guidance on Coverage of Anti-AAPI Violence
- Carter Center Journalism Resource Guide on Behavioral Health
- Center for Disability Rights: Disability Writing & Journalism Guidelines
- Conscious Style Guide
- Dart Center Style Guide for Trauma-Informed Journalism
- Disability Is Natural: People-First Language Articles
- The Diversity Style Guide
- Fortune Society: Words Matter — Using Humanizing Language
- GLAAD Media Reference Guide
- Global Press Journal Style Guide
- Kaiser Family Foundation HIV/AIDS Reporting Manual
- Made of Millions
- The Marshall Project
- Maynard Institute
- National Association of Black Journalists Style Guide
- National Association of Hispanic Journalists Cultural Competence Handbook
- National Center on Disability and Journalism Disability Language Style Guide
- National Institute on Drug Abuse: Words Matter — Terms to Use and Avoid When Talking About Addiction
- Native American Journalists Association Reporting Guides
- Native Governance Center Style Guide
- NLGJA: The Association of LGBTQ Journalists Stylebook
- Poynter: Ethics & Trust
- Racial Equity Tools
- Religion Stylebook
- Reporting on Addiction
- Trans Journalists Association Style Guide
- Use With Care: A Reporter’s Glossary of Loaded Language in the Israeli-Palestinian Conflict