Mind Your Language!
Mind Your Language was a comedy in the late 1970’s about a very diverse group of foreign students learning English at an adult education school in London
It was eventually cancelled by London Weekend Television which produced it, saying it should never have been broadcast. Today, it would be considered sexist, stereotyping, and racist.
There were other very similar TV shows that were eventually taken off air for the same reason although they can still be found on You Tube.
They included: -
· Black and White Minstrel Show
· On the Buses
· Till Death us Do Part
It is these shows and others I explore on my Cultural Communication and Inclusive Language courses. They are instructive about the times and how things have changed -OR NOT as the case may be!
In exploring these with participants, I preface the training with 10 important overarching messages against a backcloth of case law, adverts, and other materials NOT from the 1970’s but sadly still today!
Ten Important Overarching Messages
1. If you don’t know what title or word(s) to use: Just Ask the Person
2. Always think, write and speak in neutral gear. Find alternative words or terms:- For example on the generations. If it is necessary to make reference to a person’s age it is better to use the neutral “young people” or “services for older people”. All the other characteristics on disability, gender reassignment, race, religion, sex, and LGBT have neutral examples that can be used without offence.
3. Keep up to date with case law, the ever-changing legal framework, and societal developments. Subscribe free to equality websites like those of the Equality and Human Rights Commission (EHRC) or look at expected best practice from the Advertising Standards Authority (ASA) weekly decisions. It might take your breath away when you see adjudications on language used today (2024) that really belongs to the 1950’s! You can have all the laws in the world you like but some people never change!
4. Record any complaint or incident quickly, safely and securely
5. Apologise if appropriate
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6. Report any issues to your manager quickly
7. Reflect on and share any learning points for yourself and others
8. Stay proportionate – you are allowed to use descriptive phrases such as “White Board” or “Black Board” etc
9. Remember cultural differences – I write here from a western perspective but in other countries and jurisdictions body language, words and tone can convey different meanings. The British Council and other agencies can help here.
10. You are not alone. The questions and worries you might have about saying the right word or using the wrong term have been experienced by others. Network extensively.
#diversityindiction #inclusivelaungage