In the United States, there have been many changes in the language used in some public and work settings. These changes are in attempts to avoid sexual harassment and to in conjunction with anti-discrimination policies. The use of this terminology is very cultural and, at first, difficult to understand. Misuse of terms in these categories, however, can cause uncomfortable situations.

Talking about Different Races

Black: Black, African-American, Afro-American, People of Color (never use: negro, nigger, or colored.)

Asian: Asian-American, Asian, Chinese-American, Korean-American, etc. (the term Oriental is outdated and often viewed as offensive. Oriental is an adjective used to describe rugs or vases, not people.)

Latino: Latino/a, Latin-American, Hispanic.

Native American Indian: this term, or simply Native American, is preferred to Indian. Indian refers to people from India.

People of Color: a term used to refer to people who are not of the Caucasian race; sometimes this term is used only to refer to African-Americans and Latin-Americans-it depends on the context and situation

Talking about Women

There has been a push in many areas of society to use non-sexist language. Whereas before it might have been accessible" title="a.易接近的；可到达的">accessible to use only the male pronoun, now it is usually preferred to say "he or she" or "his or her" when speaking. Other people use the genderless "they" even though it is grammatically incorrect.

Often associated in this topic are issues of sexual harassment and gender discrimination (known as sexism.)

Also, in most formal or business situations, it is expected that certain terms not be used to talk about women; for example: chick, girl, and lady are usually not accepted. The most preferred term is woman.

Talking about Gays, Lesbians, and Bisexuals

Over the years, this group has gained more attention in the media and in the work force. The terminology is changing quickly. While the term homosexual was once common, it is now falling out of usage and being replaced more by the term gay and lesbian. In an attempt to include all groups associated with sexual orientation, you may hear gay and lesbian, or gay, lesbian, and bisexual, or gay, lesbian, bisexual, and transgendered. These are often abbreviated to GLB, LGB, GLBT, etc.

The term queer is accepted by some speakers to refer to all the above groups but is rejected by others. It is not advisable for heterosexuals to use the term queer unless they are certain that the term would be appropriate and accepted in the situation. The term Queer Studies, however, is becoming more common in university settings and is bringing this word into more common usage.

Other terms have also been coined, such as homophobia meaning prejudice against GLBT people, heterosexism meaning the exclusion of GLBT people.

Domestic Partnership is being offered by more and more companies. Domestic partnership extends some couple's benefits to gay and lesbian couples.

The term significant other has come about as a way to ask or refer to a dating partner or spouse without mention or prejudice of sexual orientation. Many gays and lesbians in committed relationships use the term partner to refer to their significant other.

The term transgendered is used to refer to people falling into two categories: transvestite and transsexual. A transvestite is a person who prefers to wear clothing that, according to society, is for the opposite sex. A transsexual is a person who wants to live their life as the opposite gender. A transsexual may undergo hormone therapy and even a gender reassignment operation (better known as a "sex change.")

Talking about People with Disabilities

Disabled and people with disabilities tend to be the terms currently preferred to the older term handicapped. The term cripple(d) is no longer acceptable to most speakers.

For a person who cannot see, the term blind is used. You may also hear the term visually impaired. Braille is the system that allows blind people to read books with their fingers.

For a person who cannot hear, the term deaf is most often used. If the person has some hearing, the term hearing impaired might be used.

For a person who cannot speak, the term mute is most often used (but they also cannot hear, then they are usually just called deaf.) The term dumb is used at times, but this word is now a synonym for "stupid" and therefore should be avoided.

For a person suffering from one of many diseases or conditions that affect the brain and ability to think and process, the term most often used is mentally handicapped or he or she is referred to as someone who has a mental disability. While the medical term mental retardation (slowing of the brain) is still used, the term retarded is usually not accepted as it is most often used as an insult.

The term accessible" title="a.易接近的；可到达的">accessible refers to a facility that is made accessible" title="a.易接近的；可到达的">accessible to people with disabilities. While the term handicap is falling out of popularity to talk about people with disabilities, you will still hear the terms handicapaccessible" title="a.易接近的；可到达的">accessible and handicap parking.

People today differ in their uses of these terms. Older generations still tend to use terms like "cripple," "dumb," and "retarded." The above terms are most beneficial to be familiar with in the current American business world and the media as these are the areas most affected by this movement of political correctness.

Diversity and the Law

The United States has had a long history of segregation and discrimination. While not everyone in the United States has equal rights, many strides have been made over the years to bring us to where we are today. Here are some important laws and facts:

Slavery was abolished with the Thirteenth Amendment to the Constitution in 1865
The right to vote was given to people of all races and colors in 1870 with the Fifteenth Amendment (but women could still not vote)
The Nineteenth Amendment in 1920 gave women the right to vote in the United States
In 1971, the Twenty-Sixth Amendment guaranteed the right to vote to all U.S. citizens of the age 18 or older

In 1990, the American with Disabilities Act (ADA) was passed in the United States. The ADA works to ensure that people living with different disabilities be granted the right to work, be free from discrimination, and have equal access to facilities. For example, all new buildings and buildings undergoing major renovations must be made handicapaccessible" title="a.易接近的；可到达的">accessible. (For more info see: http://www.ada.gov.)

The case of discrimination and equal rights for gays and lesbians is a different issue. There is no federal law to protect the rights of gays and lesbians. 21 states, however, have passed anti-discrimination laws banning discrimination based on sexual orientation. 8 of those 21 states, however, only protect against discrimination of public employees. Many cities, counties, companies, and universities include sexual orientation in their non-discrimination policies (for example, the city of St. Louis and Washington University both have non-discrimination clauses including sexual orientation.)

At present, gays and lesbians are not granted the right marry (except in the state of Vermont), may be denied housing in many areas, and in 13 states (including Missouri) may face criminal charges for having sex even in the privacy of their own home. The Anti-Sodomy laws are currently being reconsidered by the U.S. Supreme Court after a Texas couple was criminally punished for sexual acts committed in the privacy of their own bedroom. (For more info see: http://www.lambalegal.org.)

Only one state includes transgendered people in their anti-discriminationpolicy. That state is Minnesota. This group remains greatly misunderstood but is slowly gaining recognition with transgendered characters being portrayed in various movies like The Adventures of Priscilla, Queen of the Dessert (1994), All About my Mother (1999), and the HBO original film Normal (2003.)

Offensive Terms

In polite conversation, certain words should be avoided. In my experience as an ESL teacher, I have heard too many non-native speakers use words they overheard without knowing that they were inappropriate. The following words are considered slang and offensive terms. They are not appropriate in an academic or business setting:

Pejorative Terms

Blacks: nigger*, negro, colored

Asians: chink, jap, flip, slant eye, yellow

Latino/as: spic, mic

Women: bitch, ho, chick, cunt*

People with Disabilities: gimp, cripple, retarded

Gays and Lesbians: fag, faggot, homo, dyke

* denotes a term that is extremely offensive.

In the end, you need to become familiar with the expectations of your peers and superiors in your academic and work setting. Your views may differ from regulations that exist, but most academic and business settings expect to maintain a climate of acceptance and an environment free from harassment or discrimination.

Be aware of the terms that you use and the terms that those around you use. But especially be aware of not only the denotation (dictionary meaning), but the connotation (the cultural meaning.)
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