Health Canada has introduced an inclusive words package to promote diversity and health equity. .“This week, @GovCanHealth sent around the new ‘Inclusive Language Guide’ — an invaluable resource for avoiding cisheteronormative terminology,” said Quillette associate editor Jonathan Kay in a Wednesday tweet. .Canadian chief medical officer of health Dr. Theresa Tam said communication is “an essential tool for the development of health policy and the delivery of programs and services to Canadians.” .“However, the ‘what’ and ‘how’ of our communication can send implicit messages to others about what and who matters, about how we view the world, and whether we, as public servants can be perceived as trusted partners,” said Tam. . Theresa TamTheresa Tam .“Just as language has the capacity to create connections and build trust in individuals and organizations, it also has the potential to create barriers, by stigmatizing people and communities.” .The guide said public servants should not say vulnerable populations, populations at risk, and targeted groups/populations. It said these people should be called key populations, priority populations, and equity-seeking groups. .The terms to avoid “focus on a role of weakness, rather than action or empowerment,” said the guide. These terms imply vulnerability is built in, a deficit, or a condition reserved for the group. .People should not say women and men, guys, and ladies and gentlemen. These terms should be replaced with people of all genders, every one, and people. .The guide said people should use words encompassing many genders rather than two. .It went on to say using gendered titles should be minimal. It added people should be referred to by their first and last name or with a gendered title if a person indicated it. .Health Canada said gendered titles might lead to people assuming genders. .The term homosexual should be scrapped. Homosexuals should be called the 2SLGBTQIA+ community. .The guide said homosexual might “perpetuate negative stereotypes because of its historical associations with pathology and criminal behaviour.” This term is assumed to refer to men and could exclude different genders. .Public servants should not say refuse treatment. Refuse treatment should be changed to decline treatment. .The department asked employees to “use words that build on people’s strengths and respect the person’s right to make their own decisions.” .This guide comes after the Canadian Union for Public Employees (CUPE) launched an outline to help chapters negotiate collective agreements to protect two-spirit, transgender, and non-binary workers in July. .READ MORE: CUPE launches bargaining guide to build trans-inclusive workplaces.The bargaining guide, called “Bargaining beyond the binary: A negotiating guide for trans inclusion and gender diversity,” features examples of trans-inclusive language to have in collective agreements. .“CUPE local executives and bargaining teams don’t have to wait until a Two-Spirit, trans or non-binary worker comes out or is hired to bargain trans-inclusive language,” said CUPE.
