I've talked about this before but as content creators we set the tone of our communities, and language use is so incredibly important for this. Working to educate ourselves on better language use is just as important for our communities as editing clips, designing overlays, etc.

The last time I tweeted about this it was about urging content creators to think critically about their use of AAVE and how while they may profit off of its use as catchphrases, emotes, etc.; Black people experience discrimination and harm for it: https://www.antiracismdaily.com/archives/respect-aave-anti-racism-daily

Since then, and because I am super fortunate to be surrounded by other amazing content creators who push me, I am beginning to unpack more. I still use many of the words I am trying to remove. Progress is not overnight, but it is still something we should reflect on.

Recently I am trying to work on ableist language more, and thanks to @cypheroftyr and @spacevalkyries I have been referencing this amazing resource that offers you alternative words to help you work on this language.

https://www.autistichoya.com/p/ableist-words-and-terms-to-avoid.html

And lately I am trying to think about how my language use around food, my body, etc. can be considered anti-fat (thank you to @MerQueenJude who originally got me reading and thinking about this) https://humanparts.medium.com/the-problem-with-how-we-talk-about-our-bodies-443fbc36875e

This isn't about calling anyone out or policing language. The way we use language has very real-world consequences. Think about how Black people are stigmatized, neurodiverse people are gaslit, people recovering from eating disorders are harmed. It is deserving of your thought.

And specifically to my streaming friends: These people are part of your communities and if you are claiming that you work towards safe and inclusive spaces, think critically of how the language you use can ensure that everyone feels safe, seen, and respected.