Here are some recommendations for writing to welcome
everyone to your Web site.

Often the best way is to rewrite:

Don't struggle to use a term or construction that feels awkward to you. Rewriting the sentence often avoids the problem successfully.

First, think about what you're trying to say.

Sometimes describing a person's age, gender, nationality, ethnic background, religion, marital status, sexual orientation, mental and physical characteristics, or socioeconomic status is appropriate. How do you know?

Here's a test you can perform.

Substitute another term for the one you're questioning and decide if you would use it in a similar situation. For example, if you're considering the term "female police officer," try substituting "male police officer." Unless you're making a point about pay equity or hiring practices, you probably don't need to designate the person’s gender. On the other hand, if you're critiquing a new restaurant, saying it is (or isn't) accessible to someone who uses a wheelchair is helpful.

To help you:

Here are some examples of sentences and terms that are welcoming. This is by no means complete but is an attempt to cover some of the more common areas people find troublesome. For more information, write and ask for a bibliography and list of Internet links.

1. Avoid "generic" masculine pronouns.

Example: We all like to see our names in print. [not "Everyone likes to see his name in print."]

Some writers use "he or she," "he/she," or even "s/he," which might be useful at times but do seem awkward.

2. Alternate your use of pronouns to avoid stereotypes:

Example: Why do people come to your Web site? A teacher comes to increase his vocabulary. An engineer comes to update her software.

Be careful, though. Don’t jump back and forth too often. Just remember balance. If your first example was female, make a later one male.

3. For that matter, avoid all stereotypes.

4. You might want to use all feminine pronouns.

Studies have shown that women are bothered by the use of masculine pronouns, but men don’t care much either way.

5. In fictitious examples, vary names to represent many cultures. In real-life examples, check for balance in your survey.

Not everyone is named John and Mary and Sue. How about Johann, Maria, Tawana, and Sun-Li?

6. Ageism might be subtle, but the effects of ageism are not. People of all ages have many abilities. A woman is a woman at any age – she doesn't become "a little old woman" or "feisty" when she reaches a certain birthday. Girls are girls until they're 18, according to the Associated Press Stylebook and Libel Manual; after that they're young women or women.

7. Watch out for ethnocentrism and nationalism:

Not everyone knows where "Cincinnati" or "St. Louis" is without more explanation. Are you referring to Milan, Italy, or Milan, Michigan, USA? Remember, the Web is a world-wide phenomenon.

8. Refer to people first, and then – only if it's pertinent – to their disability:

Example: With good design, your Web site will be accessible to people who are blind. [but not "to the blind"]

Avoid stereotypes about disabilities. Most blind people are not also deaf. Most deaf people can speak. [not "deaf and dumb" or "deaf mute"]

9. Nationality can be complicated. Here's an example:

Latino and Hispanic are the most commonly accepted ways to refer to the general community of people from Latin America. Some people prefer to use Hispanic and others think you should use Latino, but mostly the terms are used interchangeably. Chicano, on the other hand, refers specifically to people of Mexican descent born in the United States. Some people use this name proudly, while others dislike the term and find it offensive, so it's best not to use it unless you know the person prefers it. These conventions can also be different in different parts of the United States. The best thing is to ask people what they prefer.

In general, the more specific you can be, the better -- for example, Mexican, Colombian, Spanish (meaning from Spain), El Salvadoran, Cuban. Even then, some people prefer to say they are Latino or even American. (For this explanation, thanks to Janine Warner.)

10. Watch out for assumptions of a norm when none exists:

Example: The stockings come in several shades of pink: rose, mauve, and pale pink. [not "flesh-color"]

11. Avoid the assumption that everyone in any group is male or heterosexual.

For example, announce that "spouses" or "partners" are welcome at your event. [not "wives"]