Language is incredibly powerful. It literally binds marriages. It’s the thing that holds together heartfelt vows, hilarious toasts, and welcomes guests to make them feel included. As a wedding photographer, language is essential for instructing my clients on how to get comfortable leading up to their wedding day. It’s a way we bond, through laughter, shared interests and awkward banter. 

Historically, language can also cause a lot of harm. Individuals and groups have long been marginalized and discriminated against because of their race, gender identity, sexuality, culture, religion, body or abilities.

Here are some best practices for LGBTQ+ inclusivity through the use of a simple language guide. Of course, it’s hard to talk about gender and sexuality without also diving deep into other intersections of social positionality—such as race, class, and ability.

Read: Why You Should Be Labeling Yourself in an LGBTQ Wedding Photography World

Challenge the Construct

The gender binary is a social construct that has long gone unchallenged. I encourage you to read this with empathy and imagine an experience that might not be your own. Hold your own opinions lightly and with humility. If you’re feeling defensive, take that energy and use it as an entry point for gaining deeper self-knowledge. It takes work and courage to change deeply ingrained habits, while doing daily unlearning. We all have ignorance and blind spots, but if you take the time to ask yourself why you might be using certain language, it shows a desire to make change.

I try to be incredibly conscious of my language choices and still catch myself slipping by saying things like, “Hey, guys!” or, “Alright, it’s time to photograph the bridesmaids!” To make lasting change, we need to be able to sit with our discomfort. Some of these language alternatives might seem unfamiliar, and it’s possible you’ll still offend someone by using gender-neutral terms. What’s important is that we’re always challenging ourselves to dig deeper by taking intentional steps to bridge the gap.

Read: 4 Easy SEO Steps to Grow Your Wedding Photography Business

Drop Gendered Terminology

Make your business a safe and welcoming place for everyone by always dropping gendered terms from your communications—including your intake forms, website, social media, contracts, brochures, questionnaires, business cards and conversationally. 

It’s such an easy thing to change, how we communicate. That can feel like such a trivial thing for those of us who aren’t excluded. But these language alternatives can make a huge impact on LGBTQ+ wedding clients who aren’t used to feeling included or represented. It’s so simple.

“When you approach the wedding industry with gendered terms (such as ‘bride’ and ‘groom’), you’re already projecting you have a narrower point of view in terms of what a wedding should or shouldn’t look like and who it does or doesn’t include.” —Equally Wed 

Make sure you’re inclusive of everyone when talking in general terms. Many marriers embrace gendered terms, so let them take the lead and use their words of choice (which you can find out more about in this questionnaire post).

Read: A New Wave of Social Networks Make Diverse Photographers More Visible

Remember, there’s always work to do. None of this means anything if you aren’t willing to put the words into action and do something with it. 

Shannon Collins is a certified LGBTQ+ inclusive wedding photographer who has been photographing documentary-style weddings in the Philadelphia area professionally for the past ten years. She loves capturing candid moments as they happen, and her pronouns are she/her/hers.