Content and Trigger warnings

If your content might be sensitive, add a content warning. This is particularly important where your everyday content is not related to this, and people can be caught out.

If your organisation works in these areas, it’s OK to assume that readers will understand that you will be talking about this content.

Trigger warnings are a specific type of content warning that warn audiences of content that may cause intense physiological and psychological symptoms for people with Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) and other anxiety disorders.

Format

People can mute certain words in Twitter, for example, so use the full word in the content warning. Do not add an asterix “w*rd”.

CW // word

TW // word

List of topics that may need a content or trigger warning.

Sexual assault

• Abuse

• Child abuse/

pedophilia/incest

• Animal cruelty or animal death

• Self-harm and suicide

• Eating disorders, body hatred, and fat phobia

• Violence

• Pornographic content

• Pregnancy/childbirth

• Miscarriage /

Abortion

• Blood

• Mental illness and ableism

• Racism and racial slurs

• Sexism and misogyny

• Kidnapping and abduction

• Death or dying

• Classism

• Hateful language direct at religious groups (e.g., Islamophobia, anti-Semitism)

• Transphobia and trans misogyny

• Homophobia and heterosexism

Reading list

A guide to content and trigger warnings - The Mix (opens in a new tab)

An Introduction to Content Warnings and Trigger Warnings – Inclusive Teaching (opens in a new tab)