Class and Social Standing

At-risk youth is a term used to describe children in vulnerable situations that threaten their transition into adulthood. Because the term “at risk” has no single definition and involves so many societal factors, being specific about how the term is being used (X is considered at risk of academic failure) is more informative to audiences. Avoiding phrasing that can be read as blaming or stigmatizing the individual with language like “delinquent” or “dropout” also takes those societal factors into account. For example: “The lack of tutoring options in X’s school due to underfunding has contributed to them being at risk of academic failure.”

Blue-collar refers to a working-class job or occupation that typically focuses on manual labor. Some consider these terms outdated because of past stereotypes associated with manual labor. Phrases such as “industrial worker,” “industrial artisan,” or “factory worker,” or specifying the profession, may be clearer. Pink-collar refers to labor associated with domestic and care-oriented careers and largely associated with women. If using these terms, it’s helpful to clarify how they’re being defined — if explaining a study, you might include a description of the metrics used to categorize people, for instance.

Social class refers to categories or hierarchies used to describe an individual’s economic placement within broader society, often broken down as lower, middle, and upper. Terms like lower, middle, and upper class offer different connotations to different people, and class can be defined in myriad ways (education, income, occupation, family size, etc.). Using terms like low-, middle-, and high-income and explaining how those brackets are being defined may be helpful for clarity.

A term coined by economists Anne Case and Angus Deaton to refer to deaths of working-age, non-college-educated, generally non-Hispanic white Americans related to suicide, drug and alcohol poisoning, or alcoholic liver disease. The concept has garnered criticism for, some say, overemphasizing the phenomenon among white Americans while ignoring that historically underserved populations also face economic barriers and lower health outcomes. Giving a brief definition when using the term can be helpful if using, as is avoid stereotyping or focusing solely on one age range and racial group.

Dropout refers to an individual who leaves school without having completed their course of study. The term “dropout” may stigmatize the individual and ignore systemic factors that contribute to someone not completing their education; less individual-blaming language would be phrasing like “X individual did not finish school.”

“Fat” and “plus-size” are terms often used to refer to people who live and occupy space in a larger body. “Plus size” is a term often used in the fashion industry, typically to refer to non-masculine-presenting people. In general, body descriptors should only be included when necessary and relevant. Even in these cases, such descriptors are subjective and generally emotionally fraught terms, and following the person’s self-identifying term can simplify the decision whether to use them.

A form of domestic abuse focused on withholding money or otherwise restricting finances. As a subsection of domestic abuse, financial abuse should be noted when applicable.