Introducing the Gender-Inclusive Language Project

This project is a collaboration between UX Content Collective and Kinneret Yifrah, renowned author and UX writing pioneer.

As word people, we know language matters. How we use our words can include people and make them feel welcome—or can exclude them from the conversation entirely. This is especially important when planning, designing, and writing for digital products used by global audiences.

Kinneret Yifrah so eloquently puts it, “Language shapes reality. Writers shape the language. We can shape reality through our writing.”

And the reality is, 38% of the world speaks a gendered language today. That means people and objects are assigned as masculine or feminine, bringing along all of the gender stereotypes and assumptions that come with it. 

The Gender-Inclusive Language Project aims to shine a spotlight on gendered language, modifications for more inclusive language, and technological solutions to age-old grammar debates. Throughout a series of videos spoken in each speaker’s primary language, the project explores: 

• Limitations of language
• How content designers/teams innovate with language
• How content designers/teams invent inclusive solutions

We’re excited to launch this project alongside Kinneret Yifrah with the help and support of Gladys Diandoki (French), Barbara Kofler (German), Charmaine Paul (Hindi), Aya Ueki (Japanese), Elisa Nunes (Portuguese), Adina Cretu (Romanian), Patricia Gómez Jurado (Spanish), Andrea Zamora Acosta (Spanish), and Kristina Levchenia (Russian).

We know language changes, and this will be an ever-evolving conversation. We hope you learn something new while exploring our video library and find inspiration for your projects (or everyday conversations).

Interested in getting involved? Help us grow our video library!