Avoid using language that implies everyone is one gender. Use pronoun combinations such as "he/she" and "him/her" to present a balanced viewpoint and alternate between using singular pronouns throughout your writing. For example, you could write, "Every student has to choose what he will do after graduating high school," and then in a later sentence write, "Nearly every student faces a level of separation anxiety when she leaves for college."
Refrain from using career terms that are gender-specific. Terms such as "mailman," "businessman," "comedienne" and "policewoman" indicate gender when it has no point in the story. Use career terms that are gender-neutral like "business executive," "comedian" and "police officer."
Don't refer to a person's race or sexual orientation unless it is essential to the story. Mentioning details such as a person's race or sexual orientation when such information is not pertinent to the article will come off as biased and unprofessional. For example, do not write "John Smith, a black construction worker from Washington D.C.," when being black has nothing to do with the story. However, if you're writing an article about a hit-and-run accident in which the police are asking for tips, you could write "The police say the suspect, a black male estimated to be in his early 20s, was driving a blue minivan."
Use terms that are socially acceptable when referring to a certain group. In an article about corneal transplants, don't use a term like "blind people" when many people have a visual impairment but aren't blind. In addition, educate yourself on which racial terms are acceptable. For example, instead of writing about "Native Americans," which is an outdated term, use "American Indian."
Avoid using adjectives that are subjective. Descriptive words like "best," "huge," "amazed" and "spectacular" reflect your personal opinions and thus keep your article from being impartial. For example, instead of writing that "The blues legend's performance amazed a sold-out crowd of fans," write something like "The blues singer performed for a crowd of approximately 1,000."