Inclusion in language and action: What you can do to improve yourself with respect to: Mainsplaining, Ableism, disability, gender, and bias. You want to improve, and this can be a piece of that puzzle.

1. Inclusion in language and
action
George Walters

2. Words have meaning
• How can we be more inclusive?
• Include and listen to others’ opinions
• Respect feelings
• Start with assumptions of good intent
• Death by 1000 cuts
• “Hey all” “Hi everyone” “Folks” “’Sup” “All Y’All”
• “We can get more ____ onto this project”
• Listen, repeat what you heard, and write it down
• Make sure to elevate the quiet or unheard voices

3. Trigger Warning
“A statement at the start of a piece of writing, video, etc., alerting the reader
or viewer to the fact that it contains potentially distressing material (often
used to introduce a description of such content).”
• Use for sensitive topics
• Violence/Abuse
• Sexual assault
• Racism
• Mental illness
• PTSD (Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder) affects military people and people
who has experienced trauma of any kind.
• BE KIND.
• Don’t touch people without their permission
• “Is it okay if I talk about x”
• Respect their wishes!

4. Mansplaining
• What is it? Condescending language towards women who are the
experts, well informed, or curious about a topic.
• ASSUME ALL WOMEN ARE TECHNICAL OR WANT TO BE
• We all have biases
• We need to work against them. Train against them.
• What should we assume in a mixed crowd?
• You’re at a mixed venue, and the conversation comes up:
• How the internet works? Security? DNA?
• If someone pipes up with a comment, how do you respond?
• How do we improve?
• LISTEN: Subscribe to twitter feeds of female experts
• Do not assume.

5. Ableism and Mental Health
• What is Ableism? Discrimination or prejudice against
individuals with disabilities
• Visible versus invisible
• REMOVE THE R-WORD. “That’s insane” “You’re crazy”
• “Triggered”
• Calling things that are not a disease a disease name. “Car
cancer” for rust
• Calling someone autistic in a negative way is offensive. “x has
autism”
• Elevate the voices of those with the “disability”
• Doorways, hallways, stairs, height, shape, snow removal
• As desired by the person: Shake the hand, embrace, work
against the natural urge to avoid.
• Get onto their level. Ask what they would like. DO NOT
ASSUME.

6. Inclusion in language and action
• Women on the internet are harassed endlessly
• There is such a thing as structural white male ableist supremacy.
• We are all evolving
• Change is hard; Change can be done with practice
• Mistakes happen; Own the mistake, apologize.
• Ask for ways to do better
• Ask for how to address people.
• If someone suggests an improvement, they were vulnerable, and you
need to thank them for being brave

7. Resources
• Gender Avenger
• https://www.genderavenger.com/blog/how-to-beat-the-excuses-updated
• Ableism
• https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/ableism
• https://www.meriahnichols.com/stopableismbecause/
• Mansplaining
• https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/mansplain
• National Alliance on Mental Illness
• https://www.nami.org/
• Depression, Anxiety, and Exercise
• https://www.self.com/story/depression-anxiety-exercise
• Women on Twitter to listen to
• https://twitter.com/ashleymcnamara/lists/lady-geniuses
• People of Color on Twitter to listen to
• https://twitter.com/mr_geektastic/lists/blacktechtwitter