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ChancenVielfalt Equal Opportunities Gender- and diversity-sensitive language
Diversity-sensitive language

Diversity-sensitive language

Leibniz University Hannover does not tolerate discriminatory terms and phrases that consciously or unconsciously devalue, intimidate, marginalise, insult or attack people or groups of people. Depending on the context, it is advisable to consider which characteristics of people are really important for communication and which are not. The following examples are intended to provide guidance on how to talk about certain characteristics of people in an appreciative and respectful manner and how to reflect diversity at Leibniz University Hannover:

(Anti-)racist language

Racist terms and statements mean the devaluation and unequal treatment of people based on their ascribed or actual origin, nationality and "skin colour". Racist language is subject to historical processes, social power relations and hierarchies.

Examples Points for discussion and criticism Alternatives
N-Word
  • Term stands for around 400 years of enslavement 
  • colonial foreign designation to legitimise and maintain the alleged supremacy of white people

Black Person

PoC = People of Colour

BIPoC = Black, Indigenous, People of Colour
G-Word
  • racist term/slur, which was systematically used for centuries to devalue people

Roma/Romani people

If known, use the exact name of the specific group, e.g. Kalderasch

Migrant

Migrants

 
  • Collective term for people who themselves or at least one parent was not born with German citizenship
  • says nothing about the realities of life, e.g. no information about the time of immigration or the generation
  • is often associated with problems or deficits and therefore sometimes has a stigmatising and marginalising effect
  • but is a fixed term in many contexts, e.g. in statistics

Germans with e.g. Indian roots

People with a history of migration/ migrant heritage/ migrant heritage

People from immigrant families

People with an international history

 

Foreigner

Foreigners

GER: Ausländer

 
  • often used as a collective term for people without German citizenship
  • says nothing about the actual reality and history of life
  • often also refers to people who are perceived as foreign due to their cultural, ethnic or religious background
  • sometimes used as an official term, e.g. GER Ausländerbehörde

Person from abroad

Person of non-German origin

Person with another nationality

Quellen:

(Anti-)ableist language

Ableist language is understood to mean discrimination against people on the basis of disabilities of any kind as well as mental and/or chronic illnesses. Certain abilities, such as walking or seeing, are reinforced as the alleged norm and people are reduced to their impairments. 

Example Points for discussion and criticism Alternatives
She is forced to use a wheelchair. The wheelchair is not a restriction, but enables free movement and serves as a means of transport. She is sitting in a wheelchair. She is using a wheelchair.
He suffers from diabetes. The wording suggests that people automatically suffer constantly because they have an illness or disability. Only the people themselves can know whether this is really the case. He has diabetes.
He lives with diabetes.
deaf and dumb
GER taubstumm		 People who cannot hear or can only hear to a limited extent are not automatically "dumb". They usually speak German Sign Language (DGS) - which in turn does not mean that they cannot also speak German.

deaf
hearing impaired
hard of hearing

Quellen: 

Information on other diversity categories

ANTISEMITISM
ANTIZIGANISM

Further materials and literature

Last Change: 08.08.24 Print

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