Sensitivity reader

Making sure everything is reviewed

My role as an anti-racism sensitivity reader is to review written material, such as books, articles, or scripts, to identify potential areas of racism or bias. I work to review the text with a critical eye and provide feedback to the publishing house, editor, or author to help ensure that the material is sensitive, accurate, and respectful to people of all backgrounds, particularly those who are the most marginalised.

Many classic texts, particularly in education, come from a time that doesn’t represent the way we think in the world today and so these revisions help prevent harmful or offensive material from being published or disseminated. This may include feedback on language, stereotypes, cultural references, and historical inaccuracies and may also provide suggestions on how to reframe or reword material to be more inclusive and respectful that better reflects certain groups, collective histories of identities.

“We commissioned Kasey to perform a sensitivity read of textbook chapters covering sensitive topics. She completed a detailed review of the content, giving thoughtful comments regarding the discussion of matters relating to race, culture, gender, and sexuality, as well as the overall perspective and framing of the narrative. Her comments were a helpful guide to improving the content by making it more inclusive, balanced, and critical. Her tact and responsiveness made our collaboration a smooth process.”

- Oxford University Press