Standford University seems to have backpedaled on its controversial “harmful language” guide, acknowledging that it was wrong to have included the word “American.”
The language guide, published in mid-December, is a Standford project officially known as the Elimination of Harmful Language Initiative (EHLI). The guide places certain phrases and words into 10 “harmful language sections, including “ableist,” “culturally appropriative,” “gender-based,” “imprecise language,” and “institutionalized racism.”
“The purpose of this [EHLI] website is to educate people about the possible impact of the words we use,” the language guide said. “Our ‘suggested alternatives’ are in line with those used by peer institutions and within the technology community.”…