Best practices here vary, but by examining your intention behind using an acronym, you might decide instead to be more specific or intersectional. For example, if you’re discussing an issue that specifically impacts Black women, you can say so instead of defaulting to the broader term “BIPOC”. In addition, acronyms are a form of jargon (see Jargon), and using them can create an in-group/out-group dynamic.
Citation: Center for Scientific Collaboration and Community Engagement. (2021) CSCCE Glossary: Inclusive Language in Community Building. Woodley, Pratt, Bakker, Bertipaglia, Dow, El Zein, Kuwana, Lower, Roca, and Santistevan doi: 10.5281/zenodo.5718783
Categories: Inclusive language
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