For three consecutive years I have attended the ACES Conference to learn to be a better editor and writer, but today I had my best ACES experience when I attended the Diversity and Sensitivity Around Racial Language session, a session I hope grows and continues at future ACES conferences.
It was discussion-based with Brady Jones, Mary Hudetz and Isaac Elster leading the conversation with their own diverse perspectives.
Hudetz is editor-in-chief of Native Peoples Magazine; Elster is a copy editor at the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette; and Jones is lead feature designer at the Omaha World-Herald.
Jones said a conversation in his own Omaha World Herald newsroom about crime reporting and racial bias prompted him to organize the session.
Elster spoke of how Islamic terms are twisted in the media in a way that is not accurate in his experience as a Muslim. He spoke particularly about the term jihad and questioned who should define a word.
Hudetz used a particular example of the Washington NFL team’s name and how it’s offensive because of its historically violent context and imagery. She also showed us how we could avoid using the term “redskin” in media even when specifically covering the Washington NFL Franchise (see last paragraph).
All of their perspectives opened up a conversation that should be had daily at copy desks across the country and there was no shortage of comment during the hour and a half long session.
The session raised more questions than answers, but that was the point.
“Posing questions is a big, important thing,” Jones said.
Especially when your copy desk doesn’t have representation from one or more minority groups.
Hudetz said that it’s important to “know how little you know” about a particular culture, race or topic.
As copy editors it is important to raise these questions and not be bound by your style guide or traditional practices out of either habit or ease.
The session did not cover every issue, but it reminded us that diversity and sensitivity are issues that can be addressed by editors. We have the power to question content, word choice, sourcing and the larger impact those things can have on our society.
“Posing questions is a big, important thing,” Jones said.
What do you do as media? Don’t use the offensive term. Alternatives: Washington team, Washington NFL Franchise.
Kaitlyn Klein is a student at the University of Kansas.
