Bias-free language

adopted

Do not use unless it's important to the story.

bellman

bellhop

career woman

Be specific: doctor, artist, truck driver, etc

chairman (when used for everyone)

chair, chairperson. Or chairman and chairwoman (not chairman and chairperson)

confined to a wheelchair

uses a wheelchair, is in a wheelchair

craftsman

craftsperson, artisan (or potter, woodworker, knitter, etc)

deaf mute

deaf (See also hard-of-hearing)

Dear sir

Use a specific name, if possible, or perhaps “Dear Members of the Admissions Office.” As a last resort, use the rather awkward Dear Madam or Sir or Dear Sir/Madam.

the elderly

older people, old people [This is okay -- "old" is not pejorative.]

Eskimo

Inuk (singular), Inuit (plural)

fireman, policeman, mailman

firefighter, police officer, mail carrier

gypsy

Roma

handicapped, crippled

person with a disability (or be specific)

hard-of-hearing, deaf

In 1991, the World Federation of the Deaf voted to use the official terms deaf and hard of hearing. The National Association of the Deaf supports these terms, and they are used by most organizations involved with the deaf community.

hearing impaired

Generally not preferred because it describes people by what they can't do. See hard-of-hearing

Hispanic, Latino, Chicano, Latin American, Mexican American

A prime example of the complexities of terms related to nationality. See Recommendations

homosexual

lesbians, gay men
Homosexual is an outdated clinical term with negative connotations.

illegal immigrant, illegal alien

undocumented worker, undocumented immigrant, unauthorized immigrant
Note: This one raises much debate. The National Association of Hispanic Journalists says "illegal immigrant/illegal alien" are often used pejoratively and criminalize the person being described.

Indian

American Indian, Native American (or better, name the person's tribe)

Jew

Jewish person, of Jewish background

layman

layperson, nonspecialist

male nurse, lady doctor

nurse, doctor

man and wife

husband and wife, partners

man hours

staff hours, staff time, work time

mankind

humankind

manmade

artificial, handmade, hand-built, synthetic, manufactured, fabricated, machine-made, constructed

master, slave (sometimes used in computer articles)

first (primary) copy, second copy

mothering

parenting, nurturing

a slave to his work

controlled by his work (or her work)

middle man

intermediary

Mongolism, Mongoloid

Down syndrome [preferred to Down's]

Mohammedan

Muslim

Oriental

Asian (or name a specific nationality). Oriental is used to describe rugs and artwork.

racial codes: welfare, inner-city, underprivileged, blue collar, conservative, suburban, exotic, middle-class, Uptown, South Side, wealthy

Do not use these as euphemisms for racial groups.

retarded

Cognitively disabled person, children and adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities (or be specific about the person's capabilities)

sexual preference

sexual orientation, gender orientation

Siamese twins

conjoined twins

statesman

Might be appropriate in a historical context but probably not today.

stewardess

flight attendant. Avoid feminine suffixes, such as -ess, -ette, -ienne, and -trix

suffering from, afflicted with

has a disability or illness (and be specific where possible)

transgender

An adjective used to refer to a person whose gender identity or expression is different from the person’s sex at birth.

waitress, waiter

server

wheelchair-bound

uses a wheelchair, is in a wheelchair