The E Word
“I know we’re all sad that we feel like we can’t say equity, but to be frank, most Americans, when we’ve studied the issue, think equity is how much you’ve paid down your mortgage.”
– Julie Sweetland, PhD, Senior Advisor, FrameWorks Institute
Have you found yourself rethinking a vision statement lately? Tweaking website copy? Debating how to rename your strategic priorities? Across the region and the country, many of us are reconsidering how and when to use some foundational public health language, and how to explain our work without some key words we’ve come to rely on.
I have big concerns about the real and perceived need to temper our language. But I also see this as an opportunity. Because here’s the truth: the word equity was never doing all the work we might have thought it was. While it’s a meaningful shorthand for those engaged in the work, research shows there are much more effective ways to say what we mean when we say “equity.” Here are a few suggestions:
Talk about barriers to health and opportunities for health. Check out how the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation makes that concept visual. Their toolkit is built to reach the movable middle—people who might be open to considering the impacts of systemic racism and other sources of inequity on health.
Give specific examples instead of broad terms. Make it a narrative by including the people affected, the problem they face, the values and goals we share, and the solution that will move us forward together.
Try phrases like fair and full, or fair and just. The FrameWorks Institute has been recommending this language since 2023, based on ongoing research into American culture and patterns of thinking. They offer research-based language that anyone can use.
Have a strategy for politicized terms. Rather than chasing the ever-changing list of words that are in or out, Julie Sweetland offers a helpful approach in her talk Communicating Now: Strategic Framing for Health Justice. Ask yourself:
Is the idea helpful and productive?
If you can, continue to use the term.
If you can’t use the term, find a close synonym.
Either way, always explain what it means in plain, nonpartisan language.
Organize and strategize with allies.
Is the idea harmful or unproductive?
Don’t repeat the term.
Talk about the intent and/or impact of the idea the term represents.
Organize and strategize with allies.
Finally, remember we’re in this for the long haul, and we need to balance our immediate communication needs with long-term goals. In times of uncertainty and turbulence, we have a chance to address and transform harmful narratives, building new ones that are rooted in clarity, connection, and shared purpose.
Ready to dig in deeper? Check out the latest toolkit from FrameWorks: Communicating Now: Framing for Health Equity.