Let’s stop using “trigger warnings.”

Keep the warning. But swap out the word “trigger.”

The Internet is flush with articles, statistics, and social media posts about gun violence. And for good reason: As of June 7, 2022, our country has experienced 240 mass shootings, with Buffalo and Uvalde, tragically, yet understandably, leading the news coverage.

We need to talk about our country’s obsession with firearms. We need to push elected officials to (finally) enact gun reform. We need to talk to family, friends, and our communities about a way forward. 

What we don’t need to do is retraumatize someone who has experienced violence in the process. And when we include “trigger warning” in our Instagram post, we may be doing exactly that.

What is a trigger warning?

In its simplest terms, a trigger warning is a statement made prior to sharing potentially disturbing content. It is often used interchangeably with content warning, though they aren’t exactly the same thing.

According to Simmons Resource Guide for Teen Dating Violence Awareness and Prevention:

“A content warning (CW) is an alert that lets someone know the content of a book or movie [or social media post] is something they might want to know before reading or watching. A trigger warning (TW) is very similar to a content warning, the difference being that it is usually referring to something that could be more triggering or traumatic for some viewers/readers.”

Both content and trigger warnings can help us avoid causing harm to an individual or group of people.

But the word “trigger” itself could also cause harm, particularly at a time when mass shootings continue to—tragically and avoidably (#GunReformNow)—fill the news cycle.

So what can we use instead?

Our team recommends “trauma warning” in place of “trigger warning.” While not a perfect swap, we feel strongly that avoiding the word trigger altogether is the best course of action. And, according to the Simmons definition mentioned above, using the word “trauma” will likely communicate the same meaning as “trigger.”

To break it down further, we suggest:

Using trauma warning (TW) for information related explicitly to violence, abuse, assault, and other highly traumatizing experiences. The purpose of this warning is to prevent exposing someone with past trauma (e.g. a survivor of a mass shooting) to content that might insight a physical and/or mental reaction—aka retraumatization.

Example: TW - Detailed account of sexual violence and assault 

Using content warning (CW) for information that relates to the issues and themes mentioned above (e.g. PTSD), but is described in less explicit terms. This might be a reference to gun violence, but not a detailed description of an incidence of/experience with gun violence.

Example: CW - Reference to death by suicide

Language is always evolving, and it’s essential that we continue learning collectively and from those with varying identities and diverse life experiences. Creating discourse—both online and off—that empowers rather than harms, and includes rather than excludes, requires us to question, adapt, and continue to challenge the status quo.

We invite you to join our Collective as we try to do just that.