If you refer to sample people to explain concepts (such as Eve the Eavesdropper), select names and personas that are diverse in gender, race, and nationality or are gender-, race-, and nationality-neutral

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  • Using the same names/personas every time can subtly reinforce bias and discrimination within computer science and academia.
    • For example, always naming the sample programmer "Peter" instead of "Mary" in homework problems sends the message to students that women aren't programmers.
    • As another example, always naming the sample programmer "Mary" instead of "Maria" in homework problems sends the message to students that Latinxs aren't programmers.
  • Give an even number of characters feminine, gender-neutral, and masculine names and pronouns.
  • Non-human characters, such as the school mascot, cartoons, and animals, can be good identity-neutral characters to use in examples.
    • You can avoid gendering these characters by naming them things like Fluffy and Flash.

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External Source

Interview with Anu Gokhale
http://tec.illinoisstate.edu/faculty-staff/profile/?q=BM200706280011
Additional content by Jožefa McKiernan

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Other Tips By Anu Gokhale