I write a newsletter about inclusive and accessible communication.

Past editions of the newsletter

This is your guide to building your own business case for inclusive and accessible communication.

We’ve got:

• What a business case for inclusive and accessible communication is,

• Statistics that support the business case (a gigantic buffet of facts to choose from)

• 6 steps to building your own business case.

Read: Stop leaving money on the table (literally).

“Saving money” is a terrible reason to invest in inclusive and accessible communication.

Even though, yes, there are massive reputational, financial and efficiency benefits to becoming more inclusive and accessible.

Sometimes you need a business case. But if your manager doesn’t see the value in inclusive and accessible communication, then you need a way to explain it to them in a language they do value.

All too often, that means: crafting a business case for inclusive and accessible communication.

Read: Stop selling inclusion like it's a discount sofa

Leaders must invest time, energy and money in supporting their staff.

If your organisation is not offering support for people who are living with massive racial trauma, at risk of harm in their own homes and communities right now… you’re causing harm.

I’m going to say that again.

If you’re not clearly explaining how you’ll support your team, help them get the support they need, adjust their workloads and travel needs (to name just a few actions), you are actively harming them.

And that is before we even get into the fact that - if you’re a white or majoritised person - you have to actually take action.

Read: The enormous harm of staying silent

Accessibility laws exist. Failure to comply with these laws can cost people and businesses thousands of pounds/euros/other currencies.

Read: Even Beyoncé can be sued for inaccessibility

Images without alt text are disabling and an image without an image description is incomplete.

Adding alt text is much easier than you think!

Read: Stop neglecting this essential accessibility feature! Learn alt text in 1 minute 51 seconds

Hiding behind autism harms autistic people everywhere.

We already have a huge problem with inaccurate and harmful beliefs about autism.

We already struggle with “deficit” framing (lack of social skills, lack of etiquette, lack of…you name it)

It’s an insult to autistic people.

Read: Dear Gregg Wallace…

In this post, I talk about

• Why we need a “work with me” post.

• How the cringe is one of the things that stops us from promoting ourselves.

• How to write a “work with me” post so it is effective and accessible.

Read: The 1 post freelancers should share (it’s cringe, but we gotta do it).

Did you know:

• 56% of women were called “unlikeable” in their appraisals (yes, their work appraisals) compared to 11% of men.1

• Women are 7 times more likely to internalise this negative feedback, to believe it and carry it with them?

Likeability is a trap. It keeps so many of us small.

Here’s what I learned at the Unlikeable Woman ™ Summit, and why I left fired up and full of energy.

Read: Are you an unlikeable woman? I am.

“Trans people have always been with us and always will be with us, and the only real thing that’s up for debate is whether we treat trans people with respect or we don’t.” - Jo Maugham. In this newsletter, I share a Trans+ history week campaign, and practical tips and resources to help you be more trans-inclusive.

Read: "We've been here longer than sliced bread": celebrating Trans+ history week.

Last week I had the absolute joy of sitting down with the folks at Brand By Me (the incredible anti-racist brand consultancy founded by Collette Philip). Thank you Almaz Ohene for interviewing me!

Read: "I felt like I was always missing something": my personal take on the pain and joy of inclusive language

In case you missed it, I’ve started a new series: Ask Ettie! This is where you ask me your inclusivity and accessibility questions, and I tell you exactly how I’d approach them. This time, I’m answering this submission: “How do I create an accessible mobile ad?”

I share 9 practical tips for creating accessible mobile ads. With limited space and time, I explain how to make images, graphics, and videos engaging (and user-friendly) on smaller screens. If you create ads, this one’s for you.

Read: Ask Ettie: how do I create an accessible mobile ad?

In this post, we’ll look at how inaccessibility can destroy your brand’s:

1. Reputation

2. Productivity

3. Profitability

And how you can keep them safe.

If you’re not prioritising inclusion and accessibility, you’re at risk of losing money.

Read: Do you know the real cost of exclusion?

Over 65% of people with eating disorders don’t get support at work. It’s Eating Disorder Awareness Week, and I’m tired of eating disorders being an “unspoken” topic at work when so many of us are affected. This post explores how workplaces can do better. I highlight some “well-intentioned” comments to avoid, reasonable adjustments to consider, and resources to be aware of.

Read: Eating disorders exist everywhere - why aren't we talking about them?

How do you make colleagues and leaders care about inclusivity and accessibility? Honestly, you don’t. You can’t force people to care about inclusivity and accessibility, if they don’t think it matters. But many of us do care. We’re just overwhelmed, confused, and worried about getting things wrong. So if you want to encourage and support people around you to take action, even if they’re not sure how to do it, this newsletter’s for you. Here are 7 actionable steps to get people onboard.

Read: How do you make people care about inclusivity/accessibility?

This post reveals the inner workings of my neurodivergent brain - specifically, how it runs Fighting Talk. I share how I organise my life to limit stress, include pockets of joy, and keep on top of my workload. Packed with practical tips and easy-to-use tools, I hope this post makes your (work) life that little more manageable.

Read: How I run my life as a neurodivergent freelancer.

Inclusive language isn’t about following strict rules. It’s about understanding context, thinking critically, and being flexible. In this post, I share 4 key transformations that people on my group course, Bold Type, experience - from putting knowledge into practice, to confidently navigating nuance.

Read: Rules don’t make language inclusive: you do.

In this hugely detailed resource, I explain:
• what ADHD really is
• why ADHD-friendly communication matters
• dozens of practical tips to make meetings, emails, conversations (and more) more ADHD friendly.

We've got:
• me over-sharing stories about the inner workings of my brain,
• wisdom from brilliant folks including Leanne Maskell and Ellie Middleton,
• heaps of practical tips and tools you can use right away.

Read: the ultimate guide to ADHD-friendly communication.

In this mega guide, I help you to make your recruitment process more inclusive and accessible by changing:
• the language you use
• the requirements you ask for
• how you format your advert
• where you list your advert
• (how you talk about) your workplace culture
• the application process
• the way you interview people

It's packed full of examples, tips and tools, from brilliant folks at places like Friday the Young Feminist Fund, Chayn, Sonder & Tell, Monzo, Scope, Collaborative Future, Buffer and more. By the end, you’ll be equipped to improve your hiring process for everyone.

And I close each section with a checklist. You can download them all for free.

Read: The ultimate guide to inclusive and accessible recruitment.

Empathy gets talked about a lot in the social justice world, and it’s sometimes presented as the solution to all of our problems. While empathy matters deeply, I think we sometimes misunderstand its value. Or perhaps, we say that we have empathy and we really have sympathy or pity. Empathising with other people’s struggles is important. But I don’t think it can get us where we need to go. I’m grateful to Leila Billing who introduced me to the work of decolonial Latin American feminists, and the concept of “aceurpar.” It’s a kind of embodied solidarity, something more than empathy: it moves us to real action.

Read: The problem with empathy

After an explosion in racist, anti-Muslim violence in the UK, many of us also saw an outburst of complacency. I heard people say things like “well, that’s all over now” or “just goes to show, the UK isn’t as racist as all that.” Sadly, it’s not that simple. We need to name this violence for what it is, be clear on the real problems, recognise that racism and anti-Muslim hate run deeper and are far more prevalent than some white people and non-Muslims are willing to admit. In this article, I include practical action steps you can take now to speak accurately about the problem, and how we can dismantle racism together.

Read: This is racist anti-Muslim violence

To me, joy means whimsy, silliness, and soul-restoring rest. It isn’t about hiding from the pain of the world. It isn’t about “protecting your peace”. It’s about knowing the darkness and choosing joy despite it.

Read: A manifesto for joy.

Anyone else find yourself calling adult women girls? I used to do this all the time. (And I’m a woman in my 30s, pretty much double the age at which a girl is considered a woman). I came across Chelsae Huot’s fascinating study into the impact of calling women girls, and dug into why it matters. Linguistics girlies, you’re going to love this one.

Read: Should I say girl or woman?

Since Elon Musk changed things over at X (formerly Twitter), there’s been a surge in hate speech towards queer, trans and gender-nonconforming people. This should terrify all of us. Musk says a lot of misguided things, and one in particular caught my eye. He said that “cis is a slur term.” Oh Elon, you don’t know what the word means. So in this article I break down the meaning of cisgender and transgender, where they come from, and why it matters. 

Read: What cis and trans actually mean.

I hate upsetting people. I do everything I can to avoid it. But sometimes ‘being nice’ is actually just a ‘nicer’ way to do nothing. Or a way to tone police people who are trying to push for change. You shouldn't have to dull down you activism for the sake of keeping people - the least affected people - happy. Should we be kind? Absolutely. But being kind is not the same as being nice. In today’s article I explain this in more detail and show you why you shouldn’t have to ask nicely when you stand for justice.

Read: Should I be nicer?

A lot of organisations talk about their “passionate commitment to anti-racism.” When you dig a little further, it’s all talk. I spoke to Martha Awojobi, curator of Uncharitable (formerly BAME Online), and the founder, director and fearless leader of JMB Consulting, about what meaningful anti-racism actually looks like.

Read: Martha Awojobi wants you to live laugh love.

The Barbie movie took the world by storm. And while I don’t think it was a feminist triumph (more like a celebration of white feminism) it’s got some brilliant lessons on gender equity. The role reversal in the Barbie universe makes it plainly obvious just how unjust most societies are for women. What I loved about this movie was the joyful, playful showcase of what the world might look like if we rejected the ‘male default’. In this newsletter we get stuck into the details of what the ‘male default’ is and how it’s addressed in the Barbie movie. We will also discuss how this concept is the foundation of a lot of sexist language and how we can push back against this.

Read: This Barbie is a feminist.

Read: Whose side are you on?

Everybody loves thanksgiving, right? Well you might love the traditions associated with the holiday but if you knew the history behind it you might have second thoughts. You see, the thanksgiving story is a myth. A myth that tries to sugar coat colonisation. And cover up the harm done to Indigenous peoples and paint the colonisers as courageous pilgrims. In this newsletter I discuss some of the stories from Matika Wilbur (Swinomish and Tulalip) and Adrienne Keene’s (Cherokee Nation) wonderful podcast about the true history of thanksgiving, the people who suffered - and continue to suffer - because of it and how you can support Indigenous people.

Read Thanksgiving or Thangstaken?

How do you write for people who are grieving? How do you write about difficult topics without traumatising your reader? My Dad died just a few days before Father’s Day in the UK, so I think about this every day. I wrote about newsletter about trauma, bereavement and how we can use our words to make life easier for people who are grieving, anxious or stressed.

Read Trauma, Taboo and Father’s Day Emails.

What exactly is rainbow-washing? Does it matter if brands act like LGBTQIA+ champions, when their actions behind the scenes don’t add up? I break down how some brands miss the mark with their Pride campaigns, and explore examples of brands who are getting it right, like Ben & Jerry’s.

Read Say no to rainbow washing.

To celebrate the coronation of King Charles III. Ahem, because I’m hearing a lot about the crown jewels at the moment. A look at how we invisibilise the violence of empire, by distracting and minimising.

Read How to talk about looted jewels.

Neurodivergence is an umbrella term, covering identities and conditions such as autism, dyslexia, ADHD, and more. We also cover the "What By When" framework, and why clarity and specifity matter so much when we’re communicating about and for neurodivergence.

Read neurodivergent-friendly instructions.

Making your writing more accessible can be quick, easy and free. Here’s my newsletter in praise of, and written almost entirely in, bullet points. Bullet points are reader-friendly and writer-friendly qualities, making information easy to scan, navigate, and absorb. They boost clarity, accessibility, and engagement without the need for extensive training or extra costs.

Read the best accessibility trick you already know.

A tweet from the AP Stylebook went viral. The tweet suggested avoiding generalising labels like "the French" and "the college-educated" and instead using person-first language. I love a bit of inclusive langauge guidance from a style guide, but I have to question the usefulness of this advice. Not all labels are harmful. Some specific labels accurately describe groups. I support naming structural causes rather than blaming individuals and asking people about their preferred language whenever we can. The core issue lies in the stories we tell and the narratives we perpetuate. True inclusivity comes from telling accurate, nuanced, and respectful stories that challenge stereotypes and promote change.

Read What’s wrong with the French?

Names are so much more than just a collection of letters. They are part of our sense of self, community and identity. Saying and spelling people's names right really matters. But it’s not always easy, for example, we may be dyslexic or find it hard to remember spellings. This post provides practical tips for learning, spelling and correctly pronouncing names.

Read Say My Name, Say My Name.

I look at the language around disability, challenging euphemisms like "special needs” and introducing readers to the social model of disability, which highlights the impact of social structures and design choices. I also cover tips to make content more accessible, including using person-first or identity-first language, providing alt text for images, and using dyslexia-friendly fonts.

Read Disability Is Not a Dirty Word.

Practical tips on how to use LGBTQIA+ inclusive language, including: not assuming gender or sexual orientation, whether we should say homophobia and transphobia or cissexism and heterosexism,

Read How to Be LGBTQIA+ Inclusive.

Making your writing more accessible really doesn’t have to be tricky. It comes down to being clear, logical and easy to understand. I break down concepts like cognitive load, and give you practical tips and tools to help you create simpler content which is easier to read, remember and understand.

Read Simple Writing is Better Writing.