What are some techniques for making your speech more inclusive and respectful of all audience members?

1 Know your audience

Before you prepare your speech, do some research on your audience. Who are they? What are their interests, needs, and expectations? What are their cultural, linguistic, and social backgrounds? How can you tailor your speech to suit their preferences and avoid any potential misunderstandings or offense? Knowing your audience will help you choose the appropriate tone, language, examples, and references for your speech.

2 Use inclusive language

Inclusive language is language that avoids bias, stereotypes, and discrimination based on factors such as gender, race, ethnicity, religion, age, disability, sexual orientation, or social class. This type of language respects the diversity and dignity of all people and promotes a sense of belonging and equality. For example, you could use gender-neutral terms or pronouns like they, them, or their instead of he or she when referring to a person whose gender is unknown or irrelevant. Additionally, you can use people-first language like person with a disability instead of disability-first language like disabled person when referring to a person with a disability. Accurate terms such as Indigenous people should be used in place of outdated or offensive terms like natives when referring to a group of people with a specific cultural or ethnic identity. Lastly, it's important to avoid assumptions, generalizations, or stereotypes about a group of people based on their characteristics.

3 Acknowledge diversity and commonality

It is essential to acknowledge and respect the diversity of your audience while also finding and emphasizing the commonality and connection among them. To do this, you can use inclusive pronouns, such as we, us, or our, when addressing your audience or expressing a shared goal, value, or experience. Additionally, you can employ inclusive examples, stories, or references that reflect the diversity of your audience or appeal to their universal emotions. Moreover, it is important to acknowledge the different perspectives, opinions, or experiences that your audience may have on your topic and demonstrate respect and openness towards them.