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Learning editorial skills on our online proofreading course means tackling appalling and offensive humour.

Rugby club magazines, football fanzines and newsletters for men are just a few examples of publications that may include this type of copy.

If this is the content the client wants, that is fine. You should not edit it out of the copy, even if you personally find it offensive.

Copy editors should always set aside their own prejudices, likes and dislikes when editing someone else’s work. A joke that you find crude might be hysterically funny to someone else.

But, you do need to be on the lookout for other things that might creep in:

1. Some writers insert jokes or silly phrases, intending that they be removed before publishing. But, they have been known to get into print.
2. Some writers are unaware of particular sensitivities among their readers. For instance, one businessman, writing about a massive downturn in profits, described it as “our tsunami moment”. He did not realise that clients from Thailand were among the readers, and that one of them had lost his family in the tsunami tragedy.
3. Some writers simply do not realise something is in bad taste. It does not even occur to them. They need protecting from themselves. For instance, very soon after the sinking of the Herald of Free Enterprise in 1987, an MP said in a speech: “We certainly left our bow doors open on this one.” It clearly never occurred to him this was offensive so soon after 193 people had died in the disaster caused by the boat’s bow doors being left open.

Certain phrases enter vocabulary as clichés, even though they are offensive. There may be no real intention to offend, but, always look out for things like:

1. This was David Cameron’s 9/11 moment.
2. We’re right down to Ground Zero now.
3. Let’s just say that for our German rivals, it was a bad Herr day.

Always work with a safety-first policy. If you are unsure about something, delete it and query with the client.

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