Bias-free communication

Okay kiddo, let's talk about bias-free communication. Have you ever heard someone say something that made you feel sad or left out because of who you are? Well, that's because of bias. Bias is when people have a judgement or a negative opinion about certain people or things without really knowing them. We want to try and avoid that so everyone feels included and respected!

To communicate in a way that's fair and respectful to everyone, we need to be mindful of the words we use. For example, instead of saying "Hey guys!" to a group of people, we can say "Hey everyone!" or "Hey friends!" That way, we're not assuming everyone in the group is a guy or only addressing the boys.

Another way to communicate without bias is by avoiding stereotypes. Stereotypes are when people make assumptions about different groups of people based on things like their gender, race, or religion. For example, saying "All girls love pink!" is a stereotype, and actually, not all girls like pink! We have to remember that everyone is different and unique, and we shouldn't make assumptions about them based on their appearance.

Lastly, we can use inclusive language when we communicate. Inclusive language acknowledges and respects people regardless of their gender, race, or any other characteristic. An example of inclusive language is using "they" instead of "he" or "she" when we don't know someone's gender. Another example is using "partner" instead of "boyfriend/girlfriend" when talking about a romantic relationship, to include all types of relationships.

So, to sum up, bias-free communication is all about using words and language that don't make assumptions about people or exclude anyone from the conversation. It means being respectful, mindful, and inclusive in our communication.