Page 24 - Highlight_Issue_2_FLIP_BOOK

A LOOK INSIDE

INITIATIVE TO REMOVE NON

INCLUSIVE TERMS IN SPECIFICATIONS

3GPP groups have started the process of replacing terminology in our specifications that is non-inclusive. The entire leadership
proposed jointly a change request (CR) to the specification drafting rules (TR21.801), following an initiative led by several
individual members.
In their joint proposal to the TSG SA#90-e meeting, the leaders wrote: “While there are potentially numerous language issues
that could be considered offensive, there are two that are most acknowledged and focused on in the industry and applicable to
the 3GPP Specifications. These terminologies are “Master / Slave” and “Whitelist / Blacklist” that are often used in 3GPP and
other telecommunications technical documents.”

Non-inclusive terms and alternatives:

Non-inclusive term Examples of alternative terms

master (when used in "master / slave" context) primary, controller, main

slave secondary, standby

white list, whitelist, white-list allow list, accept list

black list, blacklist, black-list block list, drop list, forbidden list

grey list, greylist, grey-list (a term which has been used in conjunction with white list and black list) should be
replaced with e.g. track list, inspect list.

What next? - Change requests will now follow on any Release 17 reports and specifications that need their content brought in
line with this policy.
Further reading:
SP-201042: Tdoc from the leadership - Inclusive Language in 3GPP Specifications
SP-201142: Change Request to Specification drafting rules.
SP-201143: Liaison Statement on: Use of Inclusive Language in 3GPP.

TR21.801: 3GPP Specification drafting rules

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