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Minnesota Department of Transportation

511 Travel Info

Design System

Inclusive language guidelines for specific areas

Gender and sexual orientation

Gender-neutral pronouns

Use "they/them/their" as default pronouns when gender is unknown or irrelevant.

  • Example: "If a user forgets their password, they can reset it online."

Titles and occupations

Use gender-neutral titles and occupational terms.

  • Example: "firefighter" instead of "fireman," "police officer" instead of "policeman."

Inclusive address

Use inclusive forms of address in greetings and communications.

  • Example: "Dear Team" instead of "Dear Sirs."

Race and ethnicity

Respect preferred terms

Use terms that people from specific racial or ethnic groups prefer.

  • Example: "Black" or "African American" instead of outdated or offensive terms.
  • Example: Capitalize “Tribal” when referring to Tribal communities.

Avoid stereotypes

Do not use language that perpetuates stereotypes or negative connotations about any race or ethnicity.

Disability and ability

Person-first language

Emphasize the individual, not the disability.

  • Example: "person with autism" instead of "autistic person."
  • Important clarification: if someone tells you to refer to themselves in a different way you respect that person's desire to be address in that manner.

Avoid ableist language

Refrain from using terms that imply negative judgments about disabilities.

  • Example: "uses a wheelchair" instead of "wheelchair-bound."

Age

Avoid ageist language

Do not use terms that diminish or stereotype individuals based on their age.

  • Example: "older adults" instead of "the elderly."

Intergenerational respect

Use language that respects all age groups and promotes intergenerational understanding.

Socioeconomic status

Neutral descriptions

Use neutral language to describe socioeconomic conditions.

  • Example: "low-income families" instead of "the poor."

Avoid judgmental terms

Do not use terms that imply moral judgment or inferiority based on economic status.