When words are banned, voices are silenced. Censorship is not just about language–it is about erasing truth, restricting accountability, and weakening democracy. The recent federal decision to strike 72 terms from official use represents more than bureaucratic policy; it is an assault on how communities name, understand, and resist injustice.
At a time when truth is already under siege, we cannot allow this administration’s efforts at erasure, redaction, and restriction to narrow the ways we tell our stories or demand accountability. Our words matter. They carry history, memory, and power. If they are erased, so too are the people and struggles they represent.
We are committed to standing against this silencing. But we cannot do it alone. Your writing, your art, your voice, and your financial support are essential in safeguarding our collective memory and protecting the integrity of our democracy. Together, we must ensure that facts are not buried, that stories are not lost, and that our communities continue to speak truth to power.
Our voice, our community, and our future deserve nothing less.
Banned Words List (72+)
abortion
accessibility
accessible
activism
activists
advocacy
advocate
advocates
affirmative action
affirmative action programs
affirming care
affordable home
affordable housing
agricultural water
agrivoltaics
air pollution
all-inclusive
allyship
alternative energy
anti-racism
antiracist
asexual
assigned at birth
assigned female at birth
assigned male at birth
at risk
autism
aviation fuel
barrier
barriers
belong
bias
biased
biased toward
biases
biases towards
bioenergy
biofuel
biogas
biologically female
biologically male
biomethane
bipoc
bisexual
Black
Black and Latinx
breastfeed + people
breastfeed + person
Cancer Moonshot
carbon emissions mitigation
carbon footprint
carbon markets
carbon pricing
carbon sequestration
CEC
changing climate
chestfeed + people
chestfeed + person
clean energy
clean fuel
clean power
clean water
climate
climate accountability
climate change
climate consulting
climate crisis
climate model
climate models
climate resilience
climate risk
climate science
climate smart agriculture
climate smart forestry
climate variability
climate-change
climatesmart
commercial sex worker
community
community diversity
community equity
confirmation bias
contaminants of environmental concern
continuum
Covid-19
critical race theory
cultural competence
cultural differences
cultural heritage
cultural relevance
cultural sensitivity
culturally appropriate
culturally responsive
definition
DEI
DEIA
DEIAB
DEIJ
diesel
dietary guidelines / ultraprocessed foods
disabilities
disability
disabled
disadvantaged
discriminated
discrimination
discriminatory
discussion of federal policies
disparity
diverse
diverse backgrounds
diverse communities
diverse community
diverse group
diverse groups
diversified
diversify
diversifying
diversity
diversity and inclusion
diversity in the workplace
diversity, equity, and inclusion
diversity/equity efforts
EEJ
EJ
elderly
electric vehicle
energy conversion
enhance the diversity
enhancing diversity
entitlement
environmental justice
environmental quality
equal opportunity
equality
equitable
equitableness
equity
ethanol
ethnicity
evidence-based
excluded
exclusion
expression
female
females
feminism
fetus
field drainage
fluoride
fostering inclusivity
fuel cell
gay
GBV
gender
gender-based
gender-based violence
gender diversity
gender dysphoria
gender expression
gender identity
gender ideology
gender nonconformity
gender transition
gender-affirming care
gendered
genders
geothermal
GHG emission
GHG modeling
GHG monitoring
global warming
green
green infrastructure
greenhouse gas emission
groundwater pollution
Gulf of Mexico
H5N1 / bird flu
hate
hate speech
health disparity
health equity
Hispanic
Hispanic minority
historically
housing affordability
housing efficiency
hydrogen vehicle
identity
ideology
immigrants
implicit bias
implicit biases
inclusion
inclusive
inclusive leadership
inclusiveness
inclusivity
increase diversity
increase the diversity
indigenous
indigenous community / people
inequalities
inequality
inequitable
inequities
injustice
institutional
integration
intersectional
intersectionality
intersex
issues concerning pending legislation
Justice40
key groups
key people
key populations
Latinx
lesbian
LGBT
LGBTQ
low-emission vehicle
low-income housing
male-dominated
marginalize
marginalized
marijuana
measles
membrane filtration
men who have sex with men
mental health
methane emissions
microplastics
migrant
minorities
minority
minority serving institution
most risk
MSI
MSM
multicultural
Mx
Native American
NCI budget
net-zero
non-binary
nonbinary
noncitizen
non-conforming
nonpoint source pollution
nuclear energy
nuclear power
obesity
opioids
oppression
oppressive
orientation
pansexual
PCB
peanut allergies
people + uterus
people of color
people-centered care
person-centered
person-centered care
PFAS
PFOA
photovoltaic
polarization
political
pollution
pollution abatement
pollution remediation
prefabricated housing
pregnant people
pregnant person
pregnant persons
prejudice
privilege
privileges
promote
promote diversity
promoting diversity
pronoun
pronouns
prostitute
pyrolysis
QT
queer
race
race and ethnicity
racial
racial diversity
racial identity
racial inequality
racial justice
racially
racism
runoff
rural water
safe drinking water
science-based
sediment remediation
segregation
self-assessed
sense of belonging
sex
sexual preferences
sexuality
social justice
social vulnerability
socio cultural
socio economic
sociocultural
socioeconomic status
soil pollution
solar energy
solar power
special populations
stem cell or fetal tissue research
stereotype
stereotypes
subsidized housing
sustainable construction
systemic
they/them
tile drainage
topics of federal investigations
topics that have received recent attention from Congress
topics that have received widespread or critical media attention
trans
transexual
transexualism
transexuals
transgender
transgender military personnel
transgender people
transitional housing
trauma
traumatic
tribal
two-spirit
unconscious bias
under-appreciated
under-represented
under-served
underprivileged
underrepresentation
underrepresented
underserved
understudied
undervalued
vaccines
victim
victims
vulnerable
vulnerable populations
water collection
water conservation
water distribution
water efficiency
water management
water pollution
water quality
water storage
water treatment
white privilege
wind power
woman
women
women and underrepresented
women in leadership