Inclusive & Accepting Word Choice

Introduction

Here we offer specific examples of wording that can help you to:

• Be inclusive, accepting and non-judgmental.
• Inspire acceptance and self-love.
• Empower.

EACH STUDENT FEELS EMPOWERED & SAFE

My goal is for my class to be a place where each student feels empowered and safe in the body they bring to the mat today. Through the lens of that mission, I’d like to share effective ways of making language and asana cues more inclusive for students of all shapes, sizes, ages, and abilities. – Amber Karnes 

AN EVOLUTION IN WORDS: DIVERSITY VS. MINORITY

Minority is a loaded word. In my understanding it is a label that means “less than”… Diversity is a word that means “more than.” The term minority itself creates the idea or feeling of exclusion. It is time to retire this word. Diversity is a word that encourages inclusion by illuminating what is different in all of us. – Dianne Bondy 

THE BODY IS NOT THE PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED

Asana is often cued, by default, for an able-bodied, thin, flexible, strong ideal. Now, accessibility has begun to infiltrate the ethos, so I might hear teachers cue “if you’re not flexible enough” or “if you can’t do that” and invite students to use props in a very defined way, so their inept bodies no longer stop them from experiencing the pose. In this scenario, we are perpetuating the belief that the body is the problem to be solved. I challen ge you to shift focus so that the body is not the problem, but the elements that make up a pose are the problems. Break apart these big skills to their parts and give everyone in the room the opportunity to participate in a progressive strength building experience by offering a range of options that all focus on the same elements. – Carly Stong

See Also

• Creating an Inclusive Space
• Tips for Choosing Your Words Wisely

Avoid Hierarchical & Value-Based Wording