Bias: What Is It and How Do We Address It? (A Panel Discussion)

Panel: Chris Henderson-Bauer, Christy Karras, and Mary-Colleen Jenkins
Moderator: Amanda Vail

Bias in writing is sometimes unavoidable—and usually unintentional. So how do we help writers identify it and remedy it? As editors, we'll most likely encounter biased text at some point in our careers, whether it involves unintentional sexism, racism, ableism, or any language that excludes or offends readers. This panel discussion will explore ways to talk to writers about bias we’ve detected, resources that can help us stay up to date on the best language to use in different situations, and how the handling of bias in works of fiction might be different from nonfiction or technical writing. For additional fun, we'll also discuss how different editors feel about the use of the singular "they." Please join us on Monday, July 11 for this lively panel discussion moderated by Amanda Vail, with panelists Mary-Colleen Jenkins, Chris Henderson-Bauer, and Christy Karras.

Moderator Bio

Amanda Vail is an editor and writer whose focus is nonprofit housing, the arts, and contemporary geek culture. Learn more about her work at www.threewrens.com and find her on Twitter at @amandamvail.

Panelist Bios

Chris Henderson-Bauer provides developmental editing, substantive editing, and copyediting to publishers and writers. She has been editing since 2005, and she specializes in science fiction and fantasy. You may find her at www.chrishendersonbauer.com or as @chendersonbauer on Twitter, where she tweets about editing genre fiction and her progress writing a contemporary fantasy novel.

Christy Karras specializes in copy and line editing large-scale projects including magazines, websites, and books. Many of her clients are publishers and independently published authors, and her favorite thing is making writers' sentences correct while maintaining their individual voices. Before launching her independent editing career, she was a features writer for the Salt Lake Tribune and an editor for Wasatch Journal and Healthy Living Made Simple magazines as well as the Yahoo Travel website. Karras is also the author of five travel and history books. Find out more at www.christykarras.com.

Mary-Colleen Jenkins is a freelance editor and educator. She has been affiliated with the University of Washington since 2010 and has taught technical communications and editing courses for both professional and undergraduate students. She has a master’s degree in literature and is sometimes surprised to find herself immersed in the engineering and the technical world. Mary-Colleen loves freelance editing and coaching because it offers her the chance to blend the things she loves about teaching—building a connection with and helping people—and her love for tinkering with words and writing.

Meeting Notes

(Notes from the 7/11/16 meeting, by Janet Kimball)

Announcements:

  • There will be a member potluck on Sunday, September 11. Details to be announced later.

  • The Guild is hosting the “Ask the Editors” table at the upcoming PNW Writers Conference. Thank you to everyone who has volunteered to staff it.

  • Watch for the announcement about the board meeting in early August. Anyone who is interested in finding out what the board does is welcome to attend.

  • The fall workshop this year will be on copyediting fiction. Details TBA.

  • The next regular meeting is November 14th; the topic is fact-checking.

On to the panel! The evening’s discussion on recognizing and addressing bias in writing featured moderator Amanda Vail and panelists Chris Henderson Bauer, Mary-Colleen Jenkins, and Chrisy Karras. From the outset they emphasized that this is not about being “PC” but is about understanding the power that words have and the importance of being aware of that.

The first question to the panelists was “Why is recognizing bias important?”

In fiction, readers want and need to be able to see themselves reflected on the pages. Some genres (e.g. romance and science fiction were specifically mentioned) have lagged behind. The discussion has begun in many areas of writing but there is still a long way to go. The reality is that biased writing is often clichéd or boring and simply doesn’t work, the panelists agreed. They also pointed out that if, in an attempt to write characters unlike themselves, authors are inaccurate then the writing will be perceived as shoddy by anyone who is more familiar with that group. It is good business to accurately portray characters, and this is a tool editors can use to help educate authors. In her work, Mary-Colleen Jenkins sees a lot of diversity in her classroom, which allows her to constantly check her own biases. She said it is important to not only see where she herself is, but also to point out bias in students’ writing to help them see outside their social bubble. Often this bias is unintentional and simply reflects a lack of awareness.

Next, the panelists were asked “How do you detect bias?”

Chris Henderson-Bauer addressed the question in terms of spotting global issues in a developmental edit vs. smaller issues in a copyedit. For example, in a developmental edit you might examine the motives of all the characters to ensure they have valid ones. In a copyedit you might spot the fact that an author refers to all the men by last name but to a woman with “Ms.” Mary-Colleen Jenkins discussed how technical writing is different because it is often broken into much smaller chunks than, say, a novel. In editing technical writing, MCJ is aware of the use of pronouns, for example. She looks at examples the authors present to ensure they are not featuring all men or all women. She also examines photos to ensure there is no “tokenism,” e.g. one person of color in a large group of Caucasian people. Also in business writing, job descriptions are an important place to watch for bias as balanced, neutral job descriptions help to lay the groundwork for a more diverse work force. As an editor, she points out to business people how others might interpret the terms in job descriptions and guides them toward more neutral language. Christy Karras pointed out that person-first language is a good defense against bias. For example, the term “man with a spinal cord injury” is preferable to “disabled man.” Not only does the former put the individual first, but it also provides more clarity and accuracy as a description. In this same vein, if there is a character with a disability, make sure the author isn’t defining them by that disability. In the news industry, editors must be especially aware of bias in writing about crimes and also in how subjects are portrayed in photographs, e.g. one suspect is shown in a business portrait and the other suspect’s mug shot is used. Increasingly in journalism, reporters are free to ask subjects how they want to be referred to. This may end up being negated by an editor or style guide but the discussion is beginning here as well.

To the question of “What do you do when you uncover bias?”, Mary-Colleen Jenkins said she simply brings it to the author’s attention as a reader. It’s important to assume it is unintentional on the part of the author. Chris Henderson-Bauer recommends you present yourself as an advocate for the reader but also understand the writer’s perspective. The bias may be unintentional, an oversight, or even the result of trying too hard. It’s helpful to offer some concrete suggestions to the author to help them resolve the issue because they may be at a loss.

And, finally, how can we continue to educate ourselves? Chris Henderson-Bauer recommends seeking out the many style guides on these topics. For those who work with fiction she recommends Writing the Other by Nisi Shawl and Cynthia Ward. She also suggests using Twitter to follow people who are not like you and to read fiction with characters who are not like you to help open up other viewpoints. Mary-Colleen Jenkins likes section 5.221 of CMS, which is on bias-free language. It’s also a great resource to show clients if you need backup in your discussions with them. Its key message is be credible—this is simply part of best practices in writing. Christy Karras mentioned that dictionaries have come a long way so make use of that as a resource. Follow other editors’ work, especially those who work on other kinds of projects. And branch out in your personal associations to engage with a broad range of people.

The panel took a few questions at the end:

What about when a character has a bias that is appropriate to that character? The panelists pointed out that in this case it is part of the character’s flaw and the story needs to address it. Unexamined biases are really the problem.

Can there be a racist character who is not punished? Sure, said the panelists, though it does risk a somewhat flat character (e.g. the bad guy who gets away with everything). If the racist character faces no consequences then at least the people that character influences should see the consequences.

How do you handle deciding whether someone is genuinely offended vs. whether they are someone with other issues (e.g., an Internet troll)? First, come at the issue humbly and try to be open to addressing how language might have offended. If the person isn’t able to have a calm discussion, then it is OK to disengage from it. The questions led to a brief discussion of the makeup of the Guild itself. Does it accurately reflect the profession? Are there people we are not reaching? Are there ways we can influence a broader spectrum of people entering the industry? Some ideas mentioned were holding some meetings in south Seattle, connecting with writing programs at South Seattle College, offering possible associate memberships to the Guild or mentorship opportunities.

Lots of questions and ideas for future discussion! The takeaway is to remember that you can’t be the gatekeeper for every form of bias. All you can do is educate yourself and be aware. It’s a process. We all are evolving and language is evolving as well. Be open to criticism as you become aware of your own bias so that you can genuinely learn from it.