Common Terms & Definitions

Glossary of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Terms

The following terms and definitions come from the book, “Teaching for Diversity and Social Justice”; additional sources have been cited below.

A

Ability: Having the mental and/or physical condition to engage in one or more major life activities (e.g. seeing, hearing, speaking, walking, breathing, performing manual tasks, learning, or caring for oneself) (Anti-Defamation League).

Ableism/Disableism: A system of oppression that produces social and physical barriers based on one’s abilities (mental/intellectual, emotional, and/or physical) and one’s contributions to “productivity” within a capitalist and colonial framework. Dis/ableism depends on a binary, exploiting disabled individuals for the benefit of abled individuals. Disabilities are subject to social stigma, isolation, and systemic barriers to resources, and are targeted with violence and oppression. (Anti-Oppression Network)

Ableist Discrimination: The presumption that everyone is non-disabled is said to encourage environments that are inaccessible to disabled people. It is a system by which mainstream society denigrates, devalues, and thus oppresses those with disabilities, while privileging those without disabilities, according to those who describe ableist circumstances. In extreme cases, morality, worth and intelligence may even be equated to being able-bodied or able-minded, while disability is conflated with immorality, stupidity, and worthlessness, and disabled lives may be devalued. The eugenics movement of the 19th and 20th centuries, which took its most extreme form in Nazi Germany, was a product of this belief, and some believe the ‘right to die’ movement is also an outgrowth of ableist beliefs. 

Ablesplaining: to condescendingly explain something (especially to a person or people with disability/disabilities) from the viewpoint of able privilege. (SJ Wiki) 

Accessibility: Barriers to accessibility can be physical, sensory, or cognitive. A barrier-free environment is one that can be accessed by people of all abilities, regardless of physical, sensory, or cognitive limitation. Accessibility encompasses architectural design, computer usage, communication devices, and Internet access. In the entertainment arena, accessibility also refers to providing services such as audio description, captioning, and sign-interpreted performances. In the broader sense, accessibility in the entertainment industry also means that people of all abilities, disabled and nondisabled, are represented accurately and fully throughout the industry and can identify with what they see on stage, screen, and TV.  (Alliance for Inclusion in the Arts)

Accomplice or co-conspirator: An ally (see definition below) who recognizes the necessity of anti-oppression work for all people, including themselves. In other words, an accomplice or co-conspirator is not “helping” oppressed people and does not cease in the work when a particular struggle slips from public attention. Accomplices and co-conspirators maintain horizontal relationships of trust with members of oppressed groups and support the oppressed group’s strategies instead of imposing one’s own ideas.

Acculturation: the process of learning and incorporating the language, values, beliefs, and behaviors that makes up a distinct culture. This concept is not to be confused with assimilation, where an individual or group may give up certain aspects of its culture in order to adapt to that of the prevailing culture. (The National Multicultural Institute)

Active listening: a process of hearing and understanding what someone is saying by empathizing with the speaker(s) and considering their perspective(s). (Lewis & Clark College, Department of Inclusion & Multicultural Engagement)

Activist: Someone who cares deeply about injustice, inequality and/or the wellbeing of others and the planet, and who takes or organizes political action with others and is driven by a belief in an alternative, and the hope and conviction that a better world is possible.  (Feminist Movement Builder’s Dictionary)

Adultism: The systematic mistreatment of young people on the basis of their youth, including stereotyping, discrimination, negative attitudes or behaviors toward young people, and withholding respect, power, privilege, and rights of participation on the basis of age. It includes “the assumption that adults are better than young people, and entitled to act upon young people without their agreement” (Bell, 2000). This mistreatment is supported and reinforced by the laws, policies, norms, mores, social customs, and everyday practices of society.

• Internalized Adultism: When young people accept the attitudes and beliefs that are used to justify their oppression as though they are correct and valid and behave in ways that support and reinforce those beliefs and attitudes and encourage other young people to behave in ways consistent with feelings of powerlessness, inadequacy, and subordinated status.

Advocacy: an organized, concerted effort by people and organizations to effect change in both the formal political and policy arena as well as social attitudes. There are many understandings, definitions, strategies, and applications for advocacy, including public interest advocacy, policy advocacy, social justice advocacy, citizen-centered and participatory advocacy. (Feminist Movement Builder’s Dictionary)

African American (n):  Of or related to African Americans. The U.S. Census Bureau defines black or African American as “people having origins in any of the black racial groups of Africa. It includes people who indicated their race or races as ‘black, African American, or Negro’ or wrote in entries such as ‘African American,’ ‘Afro American,’ ‘Nigerian,’ or ‘Haitian.’ According to Census 2000, African Americans make up approximately 12.3% of the total U.S. population, and 12.9% including persons of mixed race.  (The National Multicultural Institute)  

Age Discrimination: involves treating an applicant or employee less favorably because of their age. (U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission)

Age Discrimination in Employment Act (ADEA): forbids age discrimination against people who are age 40 or older. It does not protect workers under the age of 40, although some states have laws that protect younger workers from age discrimination. (U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission)

Ageism: The systematic mistreatment of older persons on the basis of presumed age, including stereotyping, discrimination, negative attitudes or behaviors toward a person on the basis of their age, and loss of respect, power, privilege, and rights of participation. This mistreatment is supported and reinforced by the laws, policies, norms, mores, social customs, and everyday practices of society.

• Individual Ageism/Adultism: The beliefs, attitudes, and behaviors of individual members of society that support and perpetuate the subordination of young people and elders. Individual ageism/adultism can occur at conscious and unconscious levels and can be both active and passive.

• Institutional Ageism/Adultism: The network of laws, rules, policies, and procedures and organizational norms that insure consistent denial of access to power, privilege, and opportunity for young people and older people and insures their continued targeted status.

• Internalized Ageism: When older people accept the attitudes and beliefs that are used to justify their oppression as though they are correct and valid and behave in ways that support and reinforce those beliefs and attitudes and encourage other older people to behave in ways that are consistent with feelings of powerlessness, inadequacy, and a subordinated status.

Agency: the ability to act independently and make free choices; the ability to make conscious decisions for oneself. (Lewis & Clark College, Department of Inclusion & Multicultural Engagement)

Agender (Also Non-gender): not identifying with any gender, the feeling of having no gender.

Agent/dominant: Members of social groups privileged by birth or acquisition who know­ingly or unknowingly exploit and reap unfair advantage over members of target groups.

Agnosticism: The belief that one cannot know the existence of God without physical evidence. Not a religion (Yale School of Forestry & Environmental Studies)

Alien: Derogatory term used to describe a foreign-born U.S. resident who is not a citizen. Those who enter

legally are known as “resident aliens” and are issued “alien registration cards” or “green

cards.” Those who enter illegally are classified as “illegal aliens.” These terms can

be isolating and demeaning to immigrants. Use legal immigrant or legal resident instead of

resident alien. Use undocumented immigrant instead of illegal alien. (Yale School of Forestry & Environmental Studies)

All-Gender Pronouns: Any of the multiple sets of pronouns which create gendered space beyond the he, him, and his/she, her, and hers binary. Sometimes referred to as gender neutral pronouns, but many prefer third gender as they do not consider themselves to have neutral genders. Examples: ze, hir, and hirs; ey, em, eirs; ze, zir, and zirs, or singular they.

Allistic: non-autistic. 

Ally: A member of a particular agent or dominant group who uses their privileged position to take action against oppression out of a belief that eliminating oppression will benefit both privileged and nonprivileged groups.

• White Ally: A white person who actively works to eliminate racism. An ally is motivated by self-interest, a sense of moral obligation, or a commitment to foster social justice and does not patronize or assume to “help” people of color in paternalistic ways. A white ally may engage in anti-racism work both in collaboration with other white people and in coalition with people of color.

American Dream: a narrative that paints a picture of equality of opportunity, meritocracy, upward mobility, and national prosperity enjoyed by all US citizens as well as immigrants. (Teaching for Diversity and Social Justice, Third Edition)

American Indian (n., adj.):  Of or related to American Indians. The U.S. Census Bureau defines “American Indians” as “people having origins in any of the original peoples of North and South America (including Central America), and who maintain tribal affiliation or community attachment. According to Census 2000, American Indians and Alaska Natives are approximately 0.9 percent of the total U.S. population, and 1.5% including persons of more than one race. (The National Multicultural Institute)  

Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990: This comprehensive federal civil rights law makes it unlawful to discriminate in private sector employment against a qualified individual with a disability. The ADA also outlaws discrimination against individuals with disabilities in state and local government services, employment, public accommodations, transportation, and telecommunication. (Alliance for Inclusion in the Arts)

Americentrism: an ethnocentric and xenophobic perspective that focuses on the United States of America as a standard by which to observe, measure, judge, or evaluate other countries and cultures in the world. By viewing the world through an exclusively U.S. perspective, important cultural differences, political situations, and community needs may be overlooked in favor for American exceptionalism and the assumption of social superiority. (SJ Wiki)

Anti-racist: (As applied to white people), an anti-racist is a person who makes a conscious choice to act to challenge some aspect of the white supremacy system: including her/his own white privilege, as well as some form of oppression against people of color. (As applied to people of color), some use the term anti-racist. Others use synonyms such as freedom fighter, activist, warrior, liberation fighter, political prisoner, prisoner of war, sister, brother, etc. In practice, it is difficult for an activist of color not to be an anti-racist activist, since the struggle against racial oppression intersects with every issue affecting people of color.

Anti-Semitism: the systematic discrimination against and oppression of Jews, Judaism, and Jewish culture and traditions.

Appreciative Inquiry (n.):  Appreciative Inquiry is a way of thinking, seeing and acting for powerful, purposeful change. It operates on the assumptions that whatever one wants…   already exists. Appreciative Inquiry 

generates images that affirm the forces that give life and energy. (The National Multicultural Institute) 

Arab (n., adj.):  Of or relating to the cultures or people that have ethnic roots in the following Arabic‐ speaking lands: Algeria, Bahrain, Egypt, Iraq, Jordan, Kuwait, Lebanon, Libya, Morocco, Oman, Palestine, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Sudan, Syria, Tunisia, the United Arab Emirates, and Yemen. “Arab” is not synonymous with “Muslim.” Arabs practice many religions, including Islam, Christianity, Judaism, and others.  (The National Multicultural Institute)  

Asexual/Asexuality: an asexual is someone who does not experience sexual attraction. Unlike celibacy, which people choose, asexuality is an intrinsic part of who someone is. There is considerable diversity among the asexual community; each asexual person experiences things like relationships, attraction, and arousal somewhat differently. Asexuality does not make anyones life any worse or any better, they just face a different set of challenges than most sexual people. Asexuality is distinct from celibacy or sexual abstinence, which are behaviours, while asexuality is generally considered to be a sexual orientation. Some asexuals do participate in sex, for a variety of reasons. (AVEN Wiki) 

Asian American:  Of or related to Asian Americans. The U.S. Census Bureau defines “Asian” as “people having origins in any of the original peoples of Asia or the Indian subcontinent. It includes people who indicated their race or races as ‘Asian,’ ‘Indian,’ ‘Chinese,’ ‘Filipino,’ ‘Korean,’ ‘Japanese,’ ‘Vietnamese,’ or ‘Other Asian.’ Asian Americans are approximately 3.6 percent of the total U.S. population, and 4.2% including persons of mixed race.  (The National Multicultural Institute)  

Assimilation: The process whereby an individual of a minority group gradually adopts characteristics of the majority culture. This adoption results in the loss of characteristics of one’s native culture, such as language, culinary tastes, interpersonal communication, gender roles, and style of dress (The National Multicultural Institute, 2003).

Asylum (n.):  Protection sought in another country for fear of persecution in an individual’s race, religion, nationality, political opinion or membership of a particular social group.  (The National Multicultural Institute)

Atheism/Atheist: the belief that there is no God/a person who denies the existence of God. Not a religion.

(Yale School of Forestry & Environmental Studies)  

B 

Baha’i: A religion that emphasizes the spiritual unity of humankind, and the oneness of God. Baha’i believe in the equality of men and women. Founded by Mirza Husayn-’Ali Nuri, who took the name Baha’u’llah while in exile in Baghdad. (Yale School of Forestry & Environmental Studies)

Bechdel test: a test that evaluates movies and other media for a bare-minimum standard of women's presence and characterization/interaction. As such, it can be seen as a measure of how sexist a story is and/or how sexist the creators of the medium are. The eponymous test states that a movie is not worth watching unless: (1) It has two female characters in it, (2) that talk together about something, (3) other than a man. (SJ Wiki)

Bigender: someone who experiences two separate genders, either simultaneously or in turn. these genders may be feminine, masculine, or any other gender or non-gender (Nonbinary Transgender Information Centre)

Bigotry: Intolerant prejudice that glorifies one's own group and denigrates members of other groups. (National Conference for Community and Justice—St. Louis Region.)

Binarism:  the destruction and erasure of cultural gender identities as a result of European colonialism, forcing people of colour to assimilate to European binary gender roles. Binarism is a form of oppression specific to people of colour - even cisgender people of colour suffer from binarism. (For general non-binary discrimination, see: non-binary erasure, transphobia, cissexism.) (Nonbinary Transgender Information Centre)

Biological determinism: the belief that biological factors, such as an individual’s genes or physiological make-up (as opposed to social or environmental factors), determines how a person behaves, and that these biological factors place limits on the ability to change.  Biological determinism supports the belief that masculinity and femininity are natural expressions of a person’s biological sex, that heterosexuality is the only normal sexual orientation (heterosexism), and that gender assigned at birth based on the appearance of external genitalia is always correct. (Teaching for Diversity & Social Justice, Third Edition)

Biological Sex/Assigned Sex: The physiological and anatomical characteristics of maleness and femaleness with which a person is born or that develop with physical maturity. These markers including internal and external reproductive organs, chromosomes, hormones, and body shape. Infants are usually assigned to a sex category (usually male or female) at birth on the basis of such characteristics (primarily the appearance of the external genitals) (Bornstein, 1994, 1998). We therefore use assigned sex to refer to the sex designation that appears on birth certificates and other legal documents. See also intersex.

Bodily Autonomy: The idea that you should have control over your own body. This can encompass reproductive rights, such as access to safe and affordable abortion and birth control, as well as the fight to end sexual violence and rape. (Everyday Feminism, Feminism 101: A Crash Course )

Body Positivity: At its core, it’s the idea that we should love our bodies, whether they be dark, light, thin, fat, abled, or disabled. (Everyday Feminism, Feminism 101: A Crash Course )

Braille: a system for writing and printing for people who are visually impaired. When characters and letters are formed by raised dots felt with the fingers, not limited to English. Always capitalize. (Yale School of Forestry & Environmental Studies)

Buddhism: A religion of eastern and central Asia growing out of the teaching of Gautama Buddha that suffering is inherent in life and that one can be liberated from it by mental and moral purification. (Yale School of Forestry & Environmental Studies)

Butch: A lesbian or gay man whose gender presentation includes attributes more commonly associated with masculinity than femininity; most often seeks femmes as partners and is oriented to a queer gender continuum of butch/femme.

C

Capitalism: describes a type of economic system based on private ownership of the means of production (agriculture, industry, technology) in which owners’ profits derive from the labor of people who received fixed wages (rather than a share of the profits). Economic growth is driven by competition in the marketplace (thought of as a “free market”) in hich fairness is assumed to emerge from market forces in the absence of regulation (e.g., by government or unions) (Teaching for Diversity and Social Justice, Third Edition)

Catholicism: The largest of Christianity’s three main branches, which also include the Eastern Orthodox Church and Protestantism. Catholicism maintains a hierarchy of bishops and priests, with the pope as the clerical leader. Notable differences from Protestantism also include the veneration of the Virgin Mary and other saints, the importance of church traditions, and the celibacy of the priesthood (Prothero 2008: 208).

Caucasian (n., adj.):  Of or related to the Caucasus region, a geographic area between the Black and Caspian seas; a former racial classification that included indigenous persons of Europe, northern Africa, western Asia, and India, characterized by light to brown skin and straight to wavy or curly hair. In the U.S., “Caucasian” is often used interchangeably with “white.” (The National Multicultural Institute)  

Change Agent: Someone who works to bring about change. In our work, a person who works to build an inclusive and just community through taking action to dismantle oppression, including being aware of one’s own role in the system of oppression and of power dynamics in groups. (North Seattle College) 

Charades of empowerment: describes practices used by adults to give the appearance of empowerment to young people, but which retain power and decision-making in the hands of adults. (Teaching for Diversity and Social Justice, Third Edition)

Chicano/a:  a term adopted by some Mexican Americans to demonstrate pride in their heritage, born out of the national Chicano Movement that was politically aligned with the Civil Rights movement to end racial oppression and social inequalities of Mexican Americans. Chicano pertains to the particular experience of Mexican-descended individuals living in the US, but not all Mexican Americans identify as Chicano. (The National Multicultural Institute)

Christianity (n.):  A religion based on the life and teachings of Jesus of Nazareth, a Jew, born around 7 B.C.  Jesus became known as a miracle worker who taught about the kingdom of God, loving God and one’s neighbor, and the importance of justice and repentance of sins. After his execution, he was believed to be Christ, the Messiah, and many claimed witness to his resurrection.  (The National Multicultural Institute)  

Christian Hegemony: refers to a religious worldview that publicly affirms Christian observances, holy days, sacred spaces, at the expense of those that are not Christian. Christian hegemonic culture normalizes Christian values as intrinsic to an American public and political way of life. Christian norms are termed hegemonic in that they depend only on “business as usual.”

Christian normativity: refers to the norms, traditions, and belief systems that characterize Christian advantage/privilege. Examples of the norms, traditions, and assumptions behind law and policy that benefit Christians but marginalize, harm, or disadvantage non-Christians. (Teaching for Diversity and Social Justice, Third Edition)

Christian privilege: refers to the social advantages held by Christians in the US who experience social and cultural advantages relative to non-Christians. (Teaching for Diversity and Social Justice, Third Edition)

Cisheteropatriarchy: In its wider definition, patriarchy is the manifestation and institutionalization of male dominance over women and children in the family and the extension of male dominance over girls, women, and gender nonconforming people in society in general. Patriarchy is deeply connected with cissexism and heterosexism through the perpetuation and enforcement of the gender binary. (Anti-Oppression Network)

Cisgender: Not transgender, that is, having a gender identity or gender role that society considers appropriate for the sex one was assigned at birth. Often shortened to “cis,” which is pronounced “sis.”

Cisnormativity: the collection of social norms and misplaced assumptions about how every person should be and is cisgender and a binary gender. (SJ Wiki)

Cisplaining: to condescendingly explain something (especially to trans or non-binary people) from the viewpoint of cis privilege. (SJ Wiki) 

Cissexism/Cisnormativity: A set of attitudes that is consistent with the belief that cisgender people are superior to transgender people psychologically, socially and morally. This serves to create an invisibility or lack of validation and representation for transgender people.

Class: Relative social rank in terms of income, wealth, education, occupational status, and/or power. 

• Owning Class/Rich: The stratum of families who own income-producing assets sufficient to make paid employment unnecessary.

• Upper-Middle Class: The portion of the middle class with higher incomes due to professional jobs and/or investment income.

• Middle Class: The stratum of families for whom breadwinners’ higher education and/or specialized skills brings higher income and more security than working class people have.

• Lower-Middle Class: The portion of the middle class with lower and less stable incomes due to lower-skilled or unstable employment.

• Poverty Class: The stratum of families with incomes persistently insufficient to meet basic human needs.

Classism: The institutional, cultural, and individual set of practices and beliefs that assign differential value to people according to their socioeconomic class; and an economic system that creates excessive inequality and causes basic human needs to go unmet.

• Individual Classism: This term refers to classism on a personal or individual level, either in behavior or attitudes, either conscious and intentional or unconscious and unintentional.

• Institutional Classism: This term refers to the ways in which intentional and unintentional classism is manifest in the various institutions of our society.

• Internalized Classism: Acceptance and justification of classism by working-class and poor people, such as feelings of inferiority to higher-class people, hostility and blame toward other working-class or poor people, and beliefs that classist institutions/policies are fair are all examples of internalized subordination. Feelings of superiority to people lower on the class spectrum than oneself, a sense of entitlement, rationalizations of classist policies and institutions on the part of middle class and people on the upper end of the class spectrum are examples of internalized domination. Both internalized subordination and internalized dominance are manifestations of internalized classism.

Class Continuum: The ranking of individuals or families in a society by income, wealth, education, occupational status, or power; the range of experiences out of which particular class identities are defined. Lines may be drawn at different points along this continuum, and labeled differently. Class is a relative thing, both subjectively and materially; our experience varies depending on whether we look up or down the continuum. However, it is clear that everyone at the top end is mostly advantaged, while everyone at the bottom end is mostly targeted.

Class Culture: describes the norms, values, and ways of life shared by people with a similar class position. Class cultures develop in response to economic realities as well as other dimensions of experience, and can be thought of as those aspects of culture that help people to survive, thrive, and make sense of their roles in the economic system, whether or not people are consciously aware of that relationship. (Teaching for Diversity and Social Justice, Third Edition)

Class Identity: One’s predominant class experience, such as ruling class, owning class, middle class, working class, chronic poverty class. Ruling Class: The stratum of people who hold positions of power in major institutions of the society.

Class Indicator: A material or experiential factor that reflects an individual’s class.

Class Privilege: One of the many tangible or intangible unearned advantages of higher-class status, such as personal contacts with employers, good childhood healthcare, inherited money, speaking the same dialect and accent as people with institutional power. 

Class Straddlers: refers to people who grew up in one class category and later experienced class mobility putting them into another category, or of being outliers in relation to their peers. (Teaching for Diversity and Social Justice, Third Edition) 

Coalitions, alliances and networks: while these terms are used differently in different context, they are often used interchangeably. Some distinctions are helpful in order to envision and tailor relationships to best suit their purpose and the needs of diverse members. Coalitions generally have a more formalized structure, for example employing staff or having standing committees, and usually involve long-term relationships among the members. Alliances generally involve shorter-term relationships that come together around specific objectives and/ or at distinct moments. Networks tend to be loose, flexible associations of people and groups brought together by a common concern or interest to share information and ideas. (VeneKlasen and Miller 2002) 

Coded Language: Words otherwise assumed to be free of any political or historical context — serve to reinforce stereotypes that stem from a sordid history of slavery, segregation and unequal treatment under the law.  (Mic.com)  A manifestation of covert racism. For example, racial code words such as “inner city,” “law and order,” and “welfare” are successfully used by right-wing politicians to covertly associate government programs with people of color so that white voters will reject such programs, even against their own self-interests. (Teaching for Diversity and Social Justice, Third Edition) 

Code-switching: the conscious or unconscious act of ‘switching’ between two languages, dialects, or intonations depending on the specific situation of who one is speaking to, what is being discussed, and the relationship and power and/or community dynamics between those involved. (Lewis & Clark College, Department of Inclusion & Multicultural Engagement)

Colonialism:  control by individuals or groups over the territory/behavior of other individuals or groups. (Horvath) Imperialism refers to the political or economic control, either formally or informally, and creating an empire. (The National Multicultural Institute)  

Color-blindness: Note: We recognize the problematic ableist language of this term, but we also acknowledge it as a term used by scholars to describe an important social phenome­non. Color-blind ideology (or color-evasiveness—purporting to not notice race in an effort to not be racist) asserts that ending discrimination merely requires treating individuals as equally as possible without regard to race, culture, or ethnicity.

Colorism: Within-group and between-group prejudice in favor of lighter skin color—what feminist author Alice Walker calls “colorism”—is a global cultural practice. Emerging throughout European colonial and imperial history, colorism is prevalent in countries as distant as Brazil and India. Its legacy is evident in forums as public as the television and movie industries, which prefer to cast light-skinned people of color, and as private as the internalized thoughts of some Latino, South-Asian or black parents who hope their babies grow up light-skinned so their lives will be “just a little bit easier.” (Teaching Tolerance)

Collusion: Thinking and acting in ways that support the system of racism. White people can actively collude by joining groups that advocate white supremacy. A person from any racial group can collude by telling racist jokes, discriminating against a person of color, or remaining silent when observing a racist incident or remark. We believe that both white people and people of color can collude with racism through their attitudes, beliefs, and actions (Jackson & Hardiman, 1997).

Community organizing: a process by which a group of people come together around a shared concern or problem and work together to find a solution that includes taking measures to influence the policies or culture surrounding them. Community organizing often starts by addressing a concrete, unmet practical need and evolves to address the structural causes of the problem, thereby transforming power. A critical element of organizing is the development of community leaders, using the organizing process to better understand political dynamics, change and organizing. (VeneKlasen and Miller, 2002)

Confucianism: Founded in the 5th and 6th centuries B.C. by the philosopher Confucius, one of the Chinese traditional religions, whose followers recorded his sayings and dialogues. Confucianism, which grew out of a tumultuous time in Chinese history, stresses the relationship between individuals, their families, and social, based on “li” (proper behavior) and “jen” (sympathetic attitude). (Yale School of Forestry & Environmental Studies)

Consent: A key concept in understanding issues of sexual violence. Someone gives consent when they actively agree to participate in sexual activity freely and willingly in a situation where both people have equal power. Consent cannot be given when someone is intoxicated, unconscious, or has been threatened or manipulated into compliance. (North Seattle College)

Constituency building: activities aimed at strengthening the involvement of those most affected by an issue in the design and leadership of advocacy. Effective constituency building enhances the organization and political voice of people and lends legitimacy and leverage to change efforts. However, by focusing on constituencies solely for the purpose of legitimizing and bolstering policy claims without concern for the longer term questions of power and citizenship, some of these efforts have been criticized as “instrumentalist,” and worse, have alienated communities otherwise interested in supporting change. (VeneKlasen and Miller 2002)

Cotton ceiling: the tendency of trans women to be excluded from the higher echelons of (cis-dominated) women's and queer spaces — specifically within the porn industry, but also society in general. It is a manifestation of transmisogyny at the intersection of cissexism, misogyny, and the glass ceiling. (SJ Wiki)

Covert Racism: In contrast to overt discrimination, covert racism is hidden and unacknowledged. Examples of covert racism include cultural and religious marginalization, colorblind racism, and tokenism. Covert racism is often not recognized as discriminatory by members of the dominant white group. (Teaching for Diversity and Social Justice, Third Edition)

Critical consciousness: an ever evolving questioning awareness about the world and how power operates. A strategy and objective of feminist movement building, consciousness-raising includes developing an understanding of how personal experiences are linked to and influenced by political and economic systems; history and awareness of current events; and the dynamics of power. It engages an understanding of self, including the simultaneity of privileges and oppressions (e.g., race, class, gender). For women, developing a critical understanding of our situation helps us to overcome self-doubt fostered by subordination and sexism enabling us to recognize and tap into our own power and link with others to address common issues. (VeneKlasen, 2006)

Cross Dresser(ing): A person who enjoys dressing in clothes typically associated with another gender. This may be the extent of the gender-bending behavior, or it may be one step on a path of changing sex or gender. The words transvestite and transvestism have been used in the past to describe this activity or interest.

Cross-sector movement building: about building coalitions, alliances, and movements that align the work of different sectors. Movement Strategy Center defines a sector as a specific issuefocused part of the social justice movement. Environmental and reproductive justice are each sectors. Through cross-sector movement building, organizations build a shared understanding of how their work intersects, explore potential conflicts in the different perspectives, identify key opportunities for movement building and alignment, and strategize how to leverage these opportunities to advance the movement as a whole. (Zimmerman, K., Miao, V.)

Cultural Appropriation: A term used to describe the taking over of creative or artistic forms, themes, or practices by one cultural group from another. It is in general used to describe Western appropriations of non‐Western or non‐white forms, and carries connotations of exploitation and dominance. 

Cultural Capital: The forms of knowledge, skill, education, any advantages a person has that give her or him a higher status in society.

Cultural Classism: This term refers to the ways in which classism is manifest through our cultural norms and practices. It can often be found in the ideology behind something.

Cultural Competence - 1) Knowledge, awareness and interpersonal skills that allow individuals to increase their understanding, sensitivity, appreciation, and responsiveness to cultural differences and the interactions resulting from them. The particulars of acquiring cultural competency vary among different groups, and they involve ongoing relational process tending to inclusion and trust-building. (UC Berkeley Initiative for Equity, Inclusion, and Diversity) 2) A process of learning that leads to the ability to effectively respond to the challenges and opportunities posed by the presence of social cultural diversity in a defined social system. (The National Multicultural Institute)

Cultural Discrimination: Refers to the way that cultural values, expressions and history are defined by a dominant group as superior to all other groups’ values, expressions and histories. It is not necessary for anyone to say: “my group’s culture is superior;” it simply has to be treated as universal –– representing the best in all of humanity. It is considered ‘normal,’ which means that all others are either ‘strange,’ or ‘invisible’ or both. An example of cultural discrimination is to deny a Muslim temple to be built because it is viewed as un-American, and un-Christian. (Young, 2004; Smith, 2013).

Cultural Erasure: consists of forcing minorities to adopt Western culture and attire, to speak the English language, to convert to Christianity, to stop using their birth names, and so on. Once ethnic minorities are stripped of their own culture, customs, traditions, pedagogy, language, and history these can all be commodified under a capitalist framework. (SJ Wiki)

 Cultural Humility: A lifelong process of self-reflection, self-critique and commitment to understanding and respecting different points of view, and engaging with others humbly, authentically and from a place of learning. (Gallardo)

Cultural imperialism: centralizes the language, dress, music, and values of middle-age adults as the norm, and devalues these same aspects of young people’s and elders cultural practices. For example, cultural imperialism supported the dismissal and marginalization of rap music, b-boy dress, graffiti art, and other forms of hip hop culture. (Teaching for Diversity and Social Justice, Third Edition)

Cultural Oppression: Expressed through cultural norms that perpetuate implicit and explicit values that bind institutions and individuals.

Culture: Refers to aspects of a social environment that are used to communicate values such as language, dress, food, traditions, and rituals. In political terms, culture can be a binding quality that strengthens the solidarity of communities, for example, by reclaiming traditional cultures, resisting dominant cultures and building “cultures of resistance.” At the same time, “respect for culture” is an oft-used argument to resist social changes toward equality and justice. Culture is ever-changing, influenced by dominant economic, political and social dynamics, and varies from one context to another, for example, standards of beauty or notions of what constitutes a family. It is not a single body of beliefs immune to external influences or changes over time. (Feminist Movement Builder’s Dictionary)

Culture of Poverty (n.):  The concept that the conditions of poverty (e.g., unemployment, out‐of‐wedlock births, teen pregnancies, welfare dependency, etc.) creates within individuals and groups a socially pathological state of mind that perpetuates these same conditions and eventually increases the number of dependents on the state.  A culture of poverty assumes that there is a social, pathological or cultural deficiency inherent to members of certain groups that make them prone to being poor which may make the phrase offensive. (The National Multicultural Institute) 

D

Demiboy/Demiguy: someone who identifies partially as a boy, without specifying the other part (Nonbinary Transgender Information Centre)

Demigirl:  someone who identifies partially as a girl, without specifying the other part (Nonbinary Transgender Information Centre)

Demisexual:  someone who experiences sexual attraction only under very limited circumstances once they have developed a strong mental/emotional connection with someone (Nonbinary Transgender Information Centre)

Denial: the refusal to acknowledge the societal privileges that are granted or denied based on an individual’s identity components. Those who are in a stage of denial tend to believe, “People are people. We are all alike regardless of the color of our skin.” In this way, the existence of a hierarchical system of privileges based on ethnicity or race are ignored. (Institute for Democratic Renewal and Project Change)

Dialogue: "Communication that creates and recreates multiple understandings” (Wink, 1997); it is bidirectional, not zero‐sum and may or may not end in agreement; it can be emotional and uncomfortable, but is safe, respectful and has greater understanding as its goal. (North Seattle College)

Disablism: a set of assumptions (conscious or unconscious) and practices that promote the differential or unequal treatment of people because of actual or presumed disabilities. 

Disability: The Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990 states that someone is disabled if he or she “a) has a physical or mental impairment that substantially limits one or more major life activities; b) has a record of such an impairment; or c) is regarded as having such an impairment.” (U.S. Department of Labor Employment Standards Administration Office of Federal Contract Compliance Programs, www.dol.gov/esa/regs/statutes/ofccp/ada).

• Developmental Disability: A long lasting cognitive disability occurring before age 22 that limits one or more major life activities (selfcare, independent living, learning, mobility, etc.), and is likely to continue indefinitely (e.g. Autism).  (Anti-Defamation League).

• Emotional Disability: One or more psychiatric disabilities exhibited over a long period of time and to a marked degree, e.g., an inability to build or maintain satisfactory interpersonal relationships with others; inappropriate types of behavior or feelings under ordinary circumstances; a generally pervasive mood of unhappiness or depression; or a tendency to develop physical symptoms or fears associated with personal problems. (Anti-Defamation League)

• Health Disability: A temporary or permanent health impairment that affects one or more major life activities (e.g. AIDS, arthritis, cancer, diabetes, drug addiction, heart disease). (Anti-Defamation League).

• Hearing Disability: Partial or full hearing loss due to either a decibel loss (person hears all sounds much more softly than a person with complete hearing), or a frequency loss (person hears a pitch of a sound better than others, thus a person with frequency loss would hear all of some words, some parts of other words, and would not hear some words at all).  (Anti-Defamation League).

• Learning Disability: A cognitive impairment in comprehension or in using language, spoken or written, that manifests itself in a person’s ability to listen, think, speak, read, write, spell, or to do mathematical calculations (e.g. Dyslexia, Dysnomia, Dysgraphia). The term does not include persons who have learning difficulties that are primarily the result of mental retardation, emotional disability, or environmental, cultural or economic disadvantage. (Anti-Defamation League)

• Physical Disability: One or more physical impairments that substantially limit one or more major life activities (e.g. seeing, hearing, speaking, walking, breathing, performing manual tasks, learning, or caring for oneself). (Anti-Defamation League).

• Visual Disability: A form of eyesight impairment that varies in severity and in more acute cases cannot be corrected by glasses or contact lenses.  (Anti-Defamation League).

Disability justice: includes changes to institutional policies and practices that limit the autonomy of people with disabilities, cultural shifts toward truly valuing people with diverse minds and bodies, and individual and group transformation to liberate ourselves from internalized ableism, all as part of a broader intersectional justice movement. (Teaching for Diversity and Social Justice, Third Edition)

Discrimination: Attitudes, beliefs, and behaviors that make a distinction in favor or against a person.

Diversity (n.):  Psychological, physical, and social differences that occur among any and all individuals, such as race, ethnicity, nationality, religion, economic class, age, gender, sexual   orientation, mental and physical ability, and learning styles. A diverse group, community or organization, is one in which a variety of social and cultural characteristics exist (The National Multicultural Institute)  

Domestic Partner: Either member of an unmarried, cohabiting, and same-sex couples that seeks benefits usually available only to spouses. (North Seattle College)

Domestic Violence: A repetitive pattern of behaviors to maintain power and control over an intimate partner. These are behaviors that physically harm, arouse fear, prevent a partner from doing what they wish or force them to behave in ways they do not want. Abuse includes the use of physical and sexual violence, threats and intimidation, emotional abuse and economic deprivation. Many of these different forms of abuse can be going on at any one time (North Seattle College)

E 

Econosplaining: a verb that means to condescendingly explain something (especially to a person or people in economic difficulties) from the viewpoint of class privilege. (SJ Wiki)

Economic capital: consists of wealth and income. (Teaching for Diversity and Social Justice, Third Edition)

• Wealth: consists of what one owns (cars, stocks or securities, real estate) minus what one owes (credit card or school debt, home mortgages). (Teaching for Diversity and Social Justice, Third Edition)

• Income: in contrast to wealth--which expresses the amount and type of assets one owns--income refers to the periodic inflow of resources, whether from investments, salary, hourly wages, government benefit, or any other source. (Teaching for Diversity and Social Justice, Third Edition)

Elder oppression: the systematic subordination of elders based on age through the restriction and denial of opportunities to exercise social, economic, and political power. This includes restricted access to goods, services, and privileges of society, along with loss of voice and limited access to participation in society. (Teaching for Diversity and Social Justice, Third Edition)

Empowered Person of Color: A person of color who understands racism and its impact on her/his life, and can respond in strategic and self-affirming ways to racist events and circumstances encountered through living in a racist society. Empowerment includes having pride in oneself and one’s social group, understanding racism as systemic, and asserting one’s rights in strategic and persistent ways.

Empowerment: A process involving a range of activities from individual self-assertion to collective mobilization and resistance aimed at upending systemic forces and power dynamics that work to marginalize women and other disadvantaged groups. Empowerment begins when individuals recognize the systemic forces of inequality that influence their lives and consciously act with others to change existing power relationships. (Batliwala, 1994)

Enby: a word for a non-binary person, practically used as an equivalent to words like ”boy” and “girl”. not all non-binary people are comfortable being referred to with this word. (Nonbinary Transgender Information Centre)

Environmental Justice: the right to a decent, safe quality of life for people of all races, incomes and cultures in the environments where we live, work, play, learn, and pray. Environmental Justice emphasizes accountability, democratic practices, equitable treatment, and self-determination. Environmental justice principles prioritize public good over profit, cooperation over competition, community and collective action over individualism, and precautionary approaches over unacceptable risks. Environmental justice provides a framework for communities of color to articulate the political, economic, and social assumptions underlying why environmental racism and degradation happens and how it continues to be institutionally reinforced (Zimmerman, K., Miao, V.) 

Environmental Racism (n.):  The concept that members of certain groups are deliberately located in less‐desirable geographic areas or that undesirable businesses, activities are deliberately located in range of or within neighborhoods of certain groups, particularly racial minorities and the urban poor.  (The National Multicultural Institute)  

Ethnicity: A social construct that divides people into social groups based on characteristics such as a shared sense of group membership, values, behavioral patterns, language, politi­cal and economic interests, history, and ancestral geographic location.

Ethnocentrism: It is judging another culture solely by the values and standards of one’s own culture. The view of things in which one’s own group is the center of everything, and all others are scaled and rated with reference to it. The ethnocentric individual will judge other groups relative to their own particular group, especially with concern to language, behavior, customs, and religion. These ethnic distinctions and subdivisions serve to define each ethnicity’s unique cultural identity. Ethnocentrism may be overt or subtle, and while it is considered a natural tendency of human psychology, it has developed a generally negative connotation.

Equality: enshrined in law, this refers to measurable, equal political representation, status, rights and opportunities. (Feminist Movement Builder’s Dictionary)

Equity: Justice or fairness. Social and political change efforts often seek to ensure equality of opportunity without consideration of the huge power differentials and the use of privilege and discrimination in societies that put some people in a better position than others to take advantage of an opportunity. (Feminist Movement Builder’s Dictionary)

• Racial Equity: Racial equity is the condition that would be achieved if one's racial identity no longer predicted, in a statistical sense, how one fares. When we use the term, we are thinking about racial equity as one part of racial justice, and thus we also include work to address root causes of inequities not just their manifestation. This includes elimination of policies, practices, attitudes and cultural messages that reinforce differential outcomes by race or fail to eliminate them. [Racial Equity Toolkit]

Eurocentrism: the practice of using Europe and European culture as a frame of reference or standard criteria from which to view the world. Eurocentrism favors European cultural norms and excludes the realities and experiences of other cultural groups. (The National Multicultural Institute)

F

Fatphobia: fear and hatred of all people who are perceived as fat, overweight, and/or obese, regardless of their health. (SJ Wiki)

Feminine-Centred/Feminine of Centre:  someone whose gender is primarily feminine and their other gender characteristics are centred around this. (i.e. a lesbian trans woman might appear masculine, but she is feminine of centre) (see “transfeminine”) (Nonbinary Transgender Information Centre)

Femininity/Masculinity: Ideological constructions whose human manifestations (women and men, girls and boys) are recreated in each generation according to the intermeshing requirements of social, cultural, economic, and biological necessities. People rely on cultural constructions of these to indicate their membership in their sex or gender category.

Feminism:  theory and practice that advocates for educational and occupational equity between men and women; undermines traditional cultural practices that support the subjugation of women by men and the devaluation of women’s contributions to society. (The National Multicultural Institute)

• Commodity feminism: A variety of feminism that co-opts the movement's ideals for profit. Ivanka Trump has been accused of peddling this brand of feminism, using her #WomenWhoWork campaign to sell her eponymous lifestyle brand. (USA Today)

• Ecofeminism:  a movement that sees a connection between the exploitation and degradation of the natural world and the subordination and oppression of women. It emerged in the mid-1970s alongside second-wave feminism and the green movement. Ecofeminism brings together elements of the feminist and green movements, while at the same time offering a challenge to both. It takes from the green movement a concern about the impact of human activities on the non-human world and from feminism the view of humanity as gendered in ways that subordinate, exploit and oppress women. (Mary Mellor)

• Equity feminism (conservative feminism): Christina Hoff Sommers, a resident scholar at the conservative American Enterprise Institute, is a champion of what she calls "equity feminism." In her view, "equity feminism" is focused on legal equality between men and women, while "gender feminism" focuses on disempowering women by portraying them as perpetual victims of the patriarchy. In the words of President Trump's advisor Kellyanne Conway: “I look at myself as a product of my choices, not a victim of my circumstances, and that’s really to me what conservative feminism, if you will, is all about.” (USA Today)

• Intersectional feminism: If feminism is advocating for women's rights and equality between the sexes, intersectional feminism is the understanding of how women's overlapping identities — including race, class, ethnicity, religion, sexual orientation and disability status — impact the way they experience oppression and discrimination. (USA Today)

• Transfeminism: Defined as "a movement by and for trans women who view their liberation to be intrinsically linked to the liberation of all women and beyond." It's a form of feminism that includes all self-identified women, regardless of assigned sex, and challenges cisgender privilege. A central tenet is that individuals have the right to define who they are. (USA Today)

• Women of color feminism: A form of feminism that seeks to clarify and combat the unique struggles women of color face. It's a feminism that struggles against intersecting forms of oppression. (USA Today)

• Womanism: A social and ecological change perspective that emerged out of Africana women’s culture and women of color around the world. (USA Today)

• Waves of Feminism (Pacific University of Oregon)

  • First Wave: The first wave of feminism took place in the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries, emerging out of an environment of urban industrialism and liberal, socialist politics. The goal of this wave was to open up opportunities for women, with a focus on suffrage. The wave formally began at the Seneca Falls Convention in 1848 when three hundred men and women rallied to the cause of equality for women. Elizabeth Cady Stanton (d.1902) drafted the Seneca Falls Declaration outlining the new movement's ideology and political strategies.

  • Second Wave: The second wave began in the 1960s and continued into the 90s. This wave unfolded in the context of the anti-war and civil rights movements and the growing self-consciousness of a variety of minority groups around the world. The New Left was on the rise, and the voice of the second wave was increasingly radical. In this phase, sexuality and reproductive rights were dominant issues, and much of the movement's energy was focused on passing the Equal Rights Amendment to the Constitution guaranteeing social equality regardless of sex. Whereas the first wave of feminism was generally propelled by middle class, Western, cisgender, white women, the second phase drew in women of color and developing nations, seeking sisterhood and solidarity, claiming "Women's struggle is class struggle."

  • Third Wave: The third wave of feminism began in the mid-90's and was informed by post-colonial and post-modern thinking. In this phase many constructs were destabilized, including the notions of "universal womanhood," body, gender, sexuality and heteronormativity. An aspect of third wave feminism that mystified the mothers of the earlier feminist movement was the readoption by young feminists of the very lip-stick, high-heels, and cleavage proudly exposed by low cut necklines that the first two phases of the movement identified with male oppression. Pinkfloor expressed this new position when she said that it's possible to have a push-up bra and a brain at the same time.

  • Fourth Wave: The fourth wave of feminism is emerging because (mostly) young women and men realize that the third wave is either overly optimistic or hampered by blinders. Feminism is now moving from the academy and back into the realm of public discourse. Issues that were central to the earliest phases of the women’s movement are receiving national and international attention by mainstream press and politicians:  problems like sexual abuse, rape, violence against women, unequal pay, slut-shaming, the pressure on women to conform to a single and unrealistic body-type and the realization that gains in female representation in politics and business, for example, are very slight. It is no longer considered “extreme,” nor is it considered the purview of rarified intellectuals to talk about societal abuse of women, rape on college campus, Title IX, homophobia and transphobia, unfair pay and work conditions, and the fact that the US has one of the worst records for legally-mandated parental leave and maternity benefits in the world.
    
    

Femme: Someone whose gender presentation includes attributes commonly associated with femininity but sees herself outside the confines of heterosexual female gender presentation; is often used to refer to lesbian-identified women who seek butch lesbians as partners and is oriented to a queer gender continuum of butch/femme.

FtM: Female-to-Male (or Female-toward-Male) transgender person, cross-dresser, or transsexual.

G

Gaslighting: a form of abusive and oppressive behavior characterized by making the victim doubt their opinions, perceptions and/or feelings. Over time, the victim comes to depend on the abuser to validate their emotions or opinions. (SJ Wiki)

Gatekeeping: the process by which individuals or (sub)communities are excluded from or policed by the broader community to which they belong due to intersectional discrimination, horizontal oppression, respectability politics, and so on. For example, the underrepresentation of and discrimination against women of colour within feminist discourse is in part a result of white feminist (i.e., racist) gatekeeping. (SJ Wiki)

Gender: A social identity usually conflated with biological sex in a binary system that presumes one has either male and masculine characteristics and behavior, or female and feminine characteristics and behavior. In addition to being a major social status experienced by individuals, this is also “a social institution” that helps humans organize their lives. 

Genderism: an extension of biological determinism that classifies male/female and masculine/feminine into two distinct and opposite sex and gender binary categories. Conformity with this binary confers privilege and the assumption of normality, while non-conformity is associated with inferiority, abnormality, and subordination. (Teaching for Diversity and Social Justice, Third Edition)

Gender Binary: Recognizes only two genders and regulates behavior within narrowly male or female expectations. Enforces the idea that all males should be man-identified and masculine, and all females should be woman-identified and feminine.

Gender Expression: The external presentation of a person’s gender (e.g. dress, mannerisms, hair style, speech, etc.). One’s gender expression may differ from one’s gender identity.

Gender Identity: An individual's internal understanding of oneself as a woman, man, transgender, genderqueer, etc. This may or may not match one's gender expression or the way that other people perceive one's gender. See Gender.

Gender Identity Disorder/Gender Dysphoria: A psychiatric/medical diagnosis included in the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM-IV) to describe when a person assigned one gender based on their birth sex identifies as a different gender, or does not conform with the gender roles associated with their birth sex. This can manifest in many ways, including varying levels of body dysphoria, and general discomfort living as the assigned sex and/or gender.

Gender Policing: The imposition or enforcement of normative gender expressions on an individual who is perceived as not adequately performing, through appearance or behaviour, the gender that was assigned to them at birth. Gender policing can be done by peers, family, media, educators, institutions and others. Gender policing may occur through ridicule, trivialization, exclusion or harassment of, or violence towards, gender nonconforming folk. It may also occur through social messages that privilege cisgender expression and gender roles (QMunity)

Genderqueer: Identity adopted by some trans people who blur the lines of the gender binary or embrace gender fluidity. They may identify as a man, woman, both, or neither. Captures a variety of identities and the identity has permeable boundaries; characterized by the desire or tendency to challenge gender roles and presentation, to “play” with gender, and to make the categories of gender irrelevant. It may be but is not always a political identity; changing society’s attitudes toward gender is often the goal. This is an identity that must be claimed as one’s own; it should not be imposed upon people.

Gender Neutral: Used to denote a unisex or all-gender inclusive space, language, etc. Ex: A gender neutral bathroom is a bathroom open to people of any gender identity and expression.

Gender Non-Conforming: Gender expression or identity that is outside or beyond a specific culture or society’s gender expectations; 2) A term used to refer to individuals or communities who may not identify as transgender, but who do not conform to traditional gender norms. May be used in tandem with other identities.

Gender Roles: Socially constructed behavior expectations for men and women.

Gentrification (n.):  The process whereby a given urban area or neighborhood undergoes a socioeconomic transition from a previously low‐income, working class neighborhood to a middle‐class or affluent neighborhood.  (The National Multicultural Institute)  

Glass Ceiling: term used to describe the “unseen” barrier that prevents women and people of color from being hired or promoted beyond a certain level of responsibility, prestige, or seniority in the workplace (The National Multicultural Institute)

Global Environmental Racism - race is a potent factor in sorting people into their physical environment and explaining social inequality, political exploitation, social isolation, and quality of life. Racism influences land use, industrial facility siting, housing patterns, infrastructure development, and “who gets what, when, where, and how much.” Environmental racism refers to any policy, practice, or directive that differentially affects or disadvantages (whether intended or unintended) individuals, groups, or communities based on race or color. (Second National People of Color Environmental Leadership Summit)

H

Harry Benjamin Standards of Care: In 1966, Harry Benjamin created the Standards of Care as ethical guidelines for the care and treatment of transsexuals. Benjamin’s guiding principles dictated the requirements necessary for a person to be considered transsexual and to qualify for medical transition, as well as the scope of therapies, treatments and surgeries that a transition would include. Although many therapists and medical providers still rely on the Standards of Care, the guidelines are often adhered to less rigidly than in the past.

Hate Crime: an act by any person or group against the person or property of another which constitutes an expression of hostility because of race, religion, sexual orientation, national origin, disability, gender, or ethnicity (Yale School of Forestry & Environmental Studies)

Heterosexism/Heteronormativity: A set of attitudes that is consistent with the belief that heterosexuality is a superior psychological, social and moral stance. This serves to create an invisibility or lack of validation and representation for people/relationships that are not heterosexual.

Heterosexual Ally: A heterosexual person who confronts heterosexism/homophobia 

Heterosexual Privilege: the benefits and advantages that heterosexuals receive in a heterosexist culture. Also, the benefits that lesbians, gay men, and bisexual/pansexual people receive as a result of claiming a heterosexual identity and denying a lesbian, gay, or bisexual/pansexual identity. (Teaching Tolerance)

Hinduism: the dominant religion in India emphasizing dharma, basic principles of cosmic or individual existence within nature, with its resulting ritual, social observances, mystic contemplations, and ascetic practices. (Yale School of Forestry & Environmental Studies)

Hispanic: refers to multiracial, multicultural d group of people who speak Spanish. Is not synonymous with Latino/Latina/Latin@/Latinx. (Yale School of Forestry & Environmental Studies)

Horizontal Hostility: the structural strategy to intentionally place two or more oppressed groups in competition with one another; a strategy that aims to divide and conquer (Lewis & Clark College, Department of Inclusion & Multicultural Engagement)

I  

Immigration-Industrial Complex: refers to public and private sector interests in the criminalization of undocumented migrations, immigration law enforcement, and the promotion of anti-illegal rhetoric. (Teaching for Diversity and Social Justice, Third Edition)

Inclusive Language: words of phrases that include all potential audiences from any identity group. Inclusive language does not assume or connote the absence of any group. An example of gender inclusive language is using “police officers” instead of “policemen”. (The National Multicultural Institute)

Intellectualism: The principle that reason and logic are the ultimate criteria of knowledge, and that deliberate action is a result of a process of conscious or subconscious reasoning. It is the excessive emphasis on abstract or intellectual matters, especially with a lack of proper consideration for emotions. Intellectualism is a major component of the academic industrial complex, and promotes professional knowledge and status over lived experiences. (Anti-Oppression Network)

Intent vs. Impact: this distinction is an integral part of inclusive environments; intent is what a person meant to do and impact is the effect it had on someone else.  Regardless of intent, it is imperative to recognize how behaviors, language, actions, etc. affect or influence other people. An examination of what was said or done and how it was received is the focus, not necessarily what was intended. (Workforce Diversity Network)

Internalized Domination: Occurs when members of the advantaged group accept their group’s advantaged status as normal and deserved.

Internalized Subordination: When members of the targeted social group have adopted the advantaged group’s ideology and accept their targeted status as deserved, natural, and inevitable.

Intersectionality: Contemporary writers make a strong case for attending to the ways that race and racism intersect with other social identities and forms of oppression in order to understand how individuals are positioned differently in the system of racism by virtue of gender, class, sexuality, ability, and other social markers (Collins, 2012; Crenshaw, 1995).

Intersex: A person born with both male and female physiological or anatomical sex characteristics. A group of medical diagnoses describing a person whose anatomy or physiology differs from cultural ideals of male and female, in terms of external genitalia, internal genitalia, and/or hormone production levels. Intersex individuals are typically assigned as “male” or “female” at birth, and often undergo surgery on their genitals in infancy to force a more culturally acceptable gendered appearance. The intersex movement has challenged the ethics of infant genital surgeries that are not medically necessary, pointing out that many intersex people who undergo such surgery in infancy later report feeling a sense of loss of an essential aspect of themselves. About 2–4% of all births are intersex to some degree. This is sometimes not evident until puberty. For more information regarding intersexuality, contact the Intersex Society of North America (ISNA), via their Web site www.isna.org.

Islam: Religion founded by the prophet Muhammed who is believed to be the last in a long line of holy prophets, preceded by Adam, Abraham, Moses and Jesus. Being devoted to the Koran, followers worship Allah. They respect the earlier prophets but regard the concept of the divinity of Jesus as blasphemous. There are two main divisions: the Sunnis and the Shiite. They are divided over the succession after the prophet. The Shi’a believe the prophet explicitly appointed Imam Ali as his successor. The Sunnis do not believe that Ali was appointed; rather, they adhere to the orthodox tradition and acknowledge the first four caliphs are rightful successors. Islam is the religion, while Muslim refers to an adherent of Islam. (Yale School of Forestry & Environmental Studies) 

Islamophobia: is used to refer to the fear or hatred of Islam and its adherents that translates into individual, ideological and systemic forms of prejudice, discrimination, and oppression of Muslims and those thought to be Muslims.

J

Jihad: Arabic word for struggle or striving. It can refer to internal as well as external efforts to be a good Muslim or believer, as well as working to inform people about the faith of Islam. Jihad does not refer to violence and is not a declaration of war against other religions. (Yale School of Forestry & Environmental Studies) 

Judaism/Jewish/Jew: founded 2000 B.C. by Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, espouses belief in a monotheistic God who leads his people by speaking through prophets. His word is revealed in the Torah (Old Testament). They believe that a messiah will eventually bring the world to a state of paradise. The term Jew can be both religious and ethnic. Jews can be of any race or nationality. (Yale School of Forestry & Environmental Studies) 

K

Kyriarchy: (from Greek meaning rule by lord) is an interlocking set of cultural, economic, and legal rules and systems that work to keep multiple groups oppressed for the benefit of a ruling group or class. Axes of oppression all contribute to creating a sociological landscape of hierarchical levels of privilege. “[T]he kyriarchy is the social system that keeps all intersecting oppressions in place.” (SJ Wiki)

L

Latine (adj): a gender-inclusive alternative to ‘latinx’ - the ‘e’ is a vowel that is already used in genderless words, such as ‘estudiante.’ Some individuals prefer it to latinx, since it brings much fewer problems (e.g. word/grammatical flow) than the ‘x’ does. (“Latino/a vs. Latinx vs. Latine: Which Word Best Solves Spanish’s Gender Problem?”)

 Latinx (adj): a gender-inclusive term used to characterize people of Latin American descent; explicit recognition of nonbinary and gender-nonconforming folks from the Latin American diaspora, like me, moving us toward trans liberation and collective freedom. (“Latino/a vs. Latinx vs. Latine: Which Word Best Solves Spanish’s Gender Problem?”)

Liberation: A state of being grounded in one’s evolving identity, free movement, free from bias, imposed expectations, control, and violence towards one’s place in the world, including the policing of it. Liberation is an ongoing process and practice of self-governance, accountability, responsibility, and transparency with oneself. It requires ongoing acknowledgement of oppression in all its forms and on all levels of society, reparations, meaningful reconciliation directed by those targeted by oppression, and transformational changes on personal, positional, institutional and systemic levels of society. (Anti-Oppression Network)

Liberatory consciousness: requires that people who are targeted by oppression be at the center of efforts to transform the oppression that imposes limits on their lives. Liberatory consciousness includes the idea that examining and understanding oppression is a first step in envisioning how to dismantle oppression. (Teaching for Diversity and Social Justice, Third Edition)

Liberatory Society: A society where the laws, policies, and practices, the cultural norms and social attitudes, the distribution of power, privilege, and opportunities for participation, and access to resources are available to all members of society from a basis of equity.

Linguicism: Discrimination and oppression based on language. While language oppression is tied to discrimination based on a range of social categories, such as race, ethnicity, ability, and socioeconomic class, it is often associated with national origin and limited English proficiency (Skutnabb-Kangas & Cummins, 1988; Schniedewind & Davidson, 1998).

• Individual Linguicism: The beliefs, attitudes, and actions of individuals that support or perpetuate language discrimination and oppression. Individual linguicism can occur at both an unconscious and conscious level, and can be both active and passive. Examples include making fun of people who have an “accent,” avoiding people who speak English as a second language, or believing in the inherent superiority of people who are English proficient and speak “good” English (See Chapter 6).

• Cultural Linguicism: The belief that English proficiency and “good” English should be the norm in institutions, such as education, the judicial system, health care system, businesses, government, etc., and that English proficiency alone automatically makes such speakers more qualified to teach, lead, and practice in these institutions than people who are less proficient in standard English (adapted from Wijeyesinghe, Griffin, & Love, 1997).

• Institutional Linguicism: The network of institutional structures, policies, and practices that create advantages and benefits for people who are English proficient or speak “good” English, and discrimination, oppression, and disadvantage for people whose first language is not English or who prefer to speak the language of their ancestors. The advantages enjoyed by English proficient speakers are often invisible to them, or are considered “rights” available to everyone, as opposed to “privileges” awarded only to some individuals and groups. Examples include English Only initiatives, hiring practices that discriminate against people with limited English proficiency; stereotyping and belittling people who speak other languages in public spaces, and the expectation of English speakers that they should always be able to understand and participate in conversation around them (adapted from Wijeyesinghe, Griffin, & Love, 1997).

Linguistic Isolation (n.):  May be used to describe the experience of feeling confused or alienated when one is unfamiliar with the language spoken by those around them.   (The National Multicultural Institute) 

Linguistic Profiling (v.):  The practice of making assumptions or value judgments about an individual based on the way he or she speaks and/or the language he or she uses, and then discriminating against that individual because of these factors.   (The National Multicultural Institute)  

M

Mansplain (verb) mansplainy (adjective): When a man explains something to a woman in a condescending way when he either 1) doesn't know anything about it or 2) knows far less than the woman he is talking to. Sorry, if you already knew that. (USA today)

Marginalized: Excluded, ignored, or relegated to the outer edge of a group, society, and/or community.

Masculine-centred/Masculine of centre:  someone whose gender is primarily masculine and their other gender characteristics are centred around this. (i.e. a gay trans man might appear effeminate but he is masculine of centre) (see transmasculine) (Nonbinary Transgender Information Centre)

Medical Model

• In terms of gender: A clinical view of gender variance, rooted in biological and psychological orientations, with an understanding that transsexuality and transgender identity are medical and mental health conditions, in need of diagnosis, treatment, and cure.

• In terms of ability: The medical model sees disabled people as the problem. They need to be adapted to fit into the world as it is. If this isn’t possible, then they should be shut away in a specialized institution or isolated at home, where only their most basic needs are met. The emphasis is on dependence, backed up by the stereotypes of disability that bring out pity, fear and patronizing attitudes. Usually, the impairment is focused on, rather than the needs of the person. The power to change disabled people seems to lie with the medical and associated professions, with their talk of cures, normalization and science. Often, disabled people’s lives are handed over to these professionals. Their decisions affect where disabled people go to school; what support they get; where they live; what benefits they are entitled to; whether they can work; and even, at times, whether they are born at all, or allowed to have children themselves.

Mental Illness: Refers to any illness or impairment that has significant psychological or behavioral manifestations, is associated with painful or distressing symptoms and impairs an individual’s level of functioning in certain areas of life (e.g. Anxiety Disorder, Depression, Bipolar disorder, Obsession-Compulsion, Schizophrenia). (Anti-Defamation League).

Meritocracy: belief that hard work and talent will always be reward by upward economic and social mobility. (Teaching for Diversity and Social Justice, Third Edition)

Microaggression: Everyday insults, indignities and demeaning messages sent to historically marginalized groups by well-intentioned members of the majority group who are unaware of the hidden messages being sent.

Misandry/Misandrist:  the fictitious victimization of men, intended to be the opposite equivalent of “misogyny”, fabricated by men’s rights activists (aka meninists) to describe someone who does not tolerate patriarchal oppression or male supremacy. this word was quickly reclaimed by feminists to describe themselves. (The Nonbinary Transgender Information Centre)

Miscegenation: term referring to sexual relations between women and men of diferent races that produce multiracial children. Can also refer to interracial marriage or cohabitation. Sprang from the white supremacist desire to keep the white race “pure” afer traditional forms of slavery were illegalized. Anti-miscegenation laws were legal in the U.S. until the 1967 Supreme Court case Loving v. Virginia. (Yale School of Forestry & Environmental Studies)

Misogyny/transmisogyny: A tool used by cis/sexism and cisheteropatriarchy to enforce strict gender roles and expectations on girls and women, both cis and trans. It directs concentrated violence and involves active hostility and/or opposition towards those who do not identify, present, or express themselves as masculine and/or men. While some progress has been made, in many parts of the world this historically results in a disproportionate rate of verbal/emotional/sexual/physical harassment, homelessness, poverty, suicide and death by murder. (Anti-Oppression Network)

Misogynoir: describes the particular brand of hatred directed at black women in American visual and popular culture. (Moya Bailey)

Mobilize: to engage people as political activists through actions that build and use the strength of organized numbers and other resources to make demands known, influence those in power, and ultimately bring about a particular political objective. All too often, people find themselves “mobilized or “turned out” in the service of an agenda that they had no voice in shaping. This can weaken linkages and leave people feeling hostile and alienated. In contrast, movement-building approaches to mobilization engage people as political protagonists, educating and building new leadership in addition to activating their support. Also see constituency building. (VeneKlasen and Miller 2002) 

Model Minority: Refers to a minority ethnic, racial, or religious group whose members achieve a higher degree of success than the population average. This success is typically measured in income, education, and related factors such as low crime rate and high family stability. (North Seattle College)

Mononormative: The assumption that human beings are naturally monogamous creatures, and that monogamy is required. It is in actual fact a social construct. Polyamory is defined in various ways by various people, but the kernel of it is that it is “living by the principle that it is possible to love more than one person at a time without deception or betrayal.” We should not necessarily conflate queer and polyamorous communities. And although mainstream media visibility of polyamory is growing, it is selective in what it portrays. Mononormativity and polynormativity intersect with individualism, capitalism, feminism, queer/GSM/LGBT activism, politics, law, and also personal accounts of discrimination and privilege. (Anti-Oppression Network)

Movement: characteristics include: a) an organized set of constituents pursuing a common political agenda of change through collective action; b) a membership or constituency base – the individuals or communities most vested in the change; c) some degree of formal or informal organization – networks, member collectives, etc. – are part of the organized core of a movement; d) a clear political agenda – common analysis, goals, targets for change; e) leadership from the constituency at multiple levels – i.e. not entirely dependent on external leadership; f) collective or joint actions in pursuit of common goals – movements are not based on providing services alone (though they may do so, for their members) but on acting for change; g) Some continuity over time (movements are not a “campaign,” though they may use campaigns as a strategy, nor are they a one-time struggle over a specific issue); and h) strategies that combine 14 contestation (e.g. marches, protests) and critical cooperation (advocacy and lobbying) forms – i.e. the strategies manifest visible political struggle. (Feminist Movement Builder’s Dictionary)

Movement building: the coordinated effort of organizations, individuals, networks, and alliances to engage individuals, the community and people in positions of power, in addressing a systemic problem and promoting alternative visions or solutions. We know movement building is successful when alliances are formed across race, class, and sectors to bring about a large-scale change in public perception, policy, and practice. (Zimmerman, K., Miao, V.)

MtF: Male-To-Female (or Male-toward-Female) transgender person, cross-dresser, or transsexual.

Multiculturalism: Theory and practice that promotes the peaceful coexistence of multiple races, ethnicities, and cultures in a given society, celebrating and sustaining language diversity, religious diversity, and social equity.  (The National Multicultural Institute) 

N

National Origin: a group identity based on the nation from which a person originates, regardless of the nation in which they resides. (Yale School of Forestry & Environmental Studies)

Neocolonization: contemporary policies used by western “first world” nations and organizations to exert regulation, power, and control disguised as a humanitarian help or aid over poorer “third world” nations. These polices are distinct from but related to the earlier periods of colonization of Africa, Asia, and the Americas by European nations.  (Yale School of Forestry & Environmental Studies)

Neurodiversity/neurovariance: Encompasses the wide range of different kinds of minds that people have. “Neurodivergent” and “non-neurotypical” can also be used to refer to individuals, since calling an individual “neurodiverse” doesn’t seem logical.

Neurominorities: Another word for non-neurotypicals.

Neurominority stereotype: A simplistic generalization or caricature of a group of people with psychological differences. Not all stereotypes present neurominorities in a negative light, but ultimately they are almost always unhelpful and misleading.

Neuronormative: I find it useful to use this term in a similar way to how words like “heteronormative” and “cisnormative” are used in gender theory: to describe a society that privileges certain ways of being as ideal, and characterises those who fail to live up as abnormal or deficient. For example, an education system with an emphasis on reading could be seen as neuronormative in the sense that it forces those with conditions like dyslexia to adapt, even though people with reading disorders might appear far less impaired under a different system of education. Similarly, conventions like job interviews are potentially neuronormative, because they give a systematic advantage to people who find face-to-face communication easier, sometimes even when this is almost irrelevant to their suitability for the job.

Neurosexism: the sexist assumption that gender differences perceived in character and behaviour are caused by biological differences in brains. Belief in inherent gender differences contributes to creating a self-fulling prophecy. Neurosexism provides a framework for treating children and adults differently on the basis of gender, which causes them to behave differently, which in turn creates so-called gender differences, which in turn prop up neurosexism — the epitome of circular logic and of a self-fulfilling prophecy. (SJ Wiki)

Neurotypical/NT: A person or group of people with psychology or neurology that falls in what is usually considered a “normal” range. The idea of an absolutely neurotypical person is an abstraction, because even in the normal population there is a lot of variation. It is impossible to draw a sharp line separating neurotypicals from those who are not. Even so, the term is a useful one because it gives people a concept by which to identify themselves and helps define non-NTs as a cohesive political groups.

Nonviolence: a strategy employed by social and civil advocates that stresses social and political change through acts that do not involve physical violence against oneself or others; nonviolent language is used to imply language that does not perpetuate structural inequalities (Lewis & Clark College, Department of Inclusion & Multicultural Engagement)

O

Oppositional Sexism: The belief that masculinity and femininity are rigid, mutually exclusive, categories. Also the idea that men should not display any behaviours or characteristics commonly associated with women, and vice versa. (QMunity)

Oppression: Conscious and unconscious attitudes and behaviors directed towards a subordinate group coupled with the power and privilege of the advantaged group and manifested at individual, cultural, and institutional levels.

• Institutional Oppression: The network of institutional structures, policies, and practices that create advantages and benefits for members of the advantaged group that are systematically unavailable to members of the group targeted for oppression and at the same time, supports and maintains discrimination and disadvantage for members of the group targeted for oppression in ways that insures their continued targeted group status.

• Internalized Oppression: When members of groups targeted for oppression and members of groups privileged by oppression hold conscious and unconscious attitudes and beliefs about targeted and advantaged group members that result in behaviors that support and enforce systems of disadvantage and subordination for members of targeted groups and systems of privilege and power for dominant group members.

Orientalism: refers to the idea that European ways were/are superior to the cultures, people, and religions associated with Middle East, African, and Asian nations. (Teaching for Diversity and Social Justice, Third Edition)

Othering: The process by which social exclusion occurs, where a dominant group claims normative status, and everyone outside of that group is defined in relation to the dominant group. “Othering” is also described as what happens when a person, group or category is treated as an object by another group. This objectification allows dominant actors to rationalize or justify the subordination of individuals and groups of people based on arbitrarily defined characteristics. (GSDRC) Also see social exclusion. (Feminist Movement Builder’s Dictionary)

Overt Racism: refers to conscious attitudes and behaviors (public or private) that intentionally harm people of color (as individuals or groups) or define them as inferior to whites and less entitled to society’s benefits. Today, overt racism can be seen in skinhead attacks on people of color, the violence perpetrated by racist police, etc. (Teaching for Diversity and Social Justice, Third Edition)

P

Passing: Successfully (convincingly) presenting one’s preferred gender image. May be intentional or unintentional. Passing is a contentious term in transgender communities, and has different meanings for different people. For example, many trans people do not feel that they are presenting as anything but themselves, whereas “passing” seems to imply that they are fooling people or hiding something. In addition some trans people do not desire to “pass” as non-trans, but rather to be respected for their identity and expression, even though people know that their gender identity or expression is different from the one typically associated with their sex.

Patriarchy: Literally means “rule of the father.” Historically, patriarchy refers to systemic and institutionalized male domination embedded in and perpetuated by cultural, political, economic and social structures and ideologies. These systems explicitly make women inferior and subordinate and confer control and decision making on males while making values associated with masculinity the norm or ideal. Patriarchy has many particular forms in different stages of history and in different cultures. The concept, as it has been developed within feminist writings (because it has existed in anthropology far longer), is not a single or simple concept but has a variety of different meanings. (Feminist Movement Builder’s Dictionary)

People First Language: Acknowledging the personhood of individuals before their disability (e.g. “people with disabilities”, “person who uses a wheelchair”, “person with cerebral palsy”, “person has a physical disability”, etc.).  (Anti-Defamation League).

Polyamory: the nonpossessive, honest, responsible and ethical philosophy and practice of loving multiple people simultaneously. Polyamory emphasizes consciously choosing how many partners one wishes to be involved with rather than accepting social norms which dictate loving only one person at a time. Polyamory is an umbrella term which integrates traditional multipartner relationship terms with more evolved egalitarian terms. Polyamory embraces sexual equality and all sexual orientations towards an expanded circle of spousal intimacy and love (The Polyamory Society)

Power: (“Power” is a relational term. It can only be understood as a relationship between human beings in a specific historical, economic and social setting. It must be exercised to be visible.)

• Power is control of, or access to, those institutions sanctioned by the state. (Definition by Barbara Major of People’s Institute for Survival and Beyond, New Orleans) 

• Power is the ability to define reality and to convince other people that it is their definition. (Definition by Dr. Wade Nobles)

• Power is ownership and control of the major resources of a state; and the capacity to make and enforce decisions based on this ownership and control; and (Alternative definition to #1)

• Power is the capacity of a group of people to decide what they want and to act in an organized way to get it.

• (In terms of an individual), power is the capacity to act.

Praxis: The process by which a theory, lesson, or skill is enacted or practiced, embodied and/or realized. "Praxis" may also refer to the act of engaging, applying, exercising, realizing, or practicing ideas. Praxis requires reflective action, and reflection on action. (North Seattle College)

Prejudice: A prejudgment or preconceived opinion, feeling, or belief, usually negative, often based on stereotypes, that includes feelings such as dislike or contempt and is often enacted as discrimination or other negative behavior OR: A set of negative personal beliefs about a social group that leads individuals to prejudge people from that group or the group in general, regardless

Privilege: Unearned access to resources (social power) only readily available to some people as a result of their social group.

Privileged Group Member: A member of an advantaged social group privileged by birth or acquisition, examples: Whites, men, owning class, upper middle class, heterosexuals, gentiles, Christians, non-disabled people.

Pronouns: Grammatical element used to reference a person on the basis of gender. Traditionally he, him, his, himself and she, her, hers, herself. 

Protestantism: Religious denominations which broke from the Roman Catholic Church in the 16th century. Includes Anglican, Baptist, Methodist, Lutheran, Presbyterian, and Quaker. Not appropriate use for Jehovah’s Witnesses, Christian Scientist, Mormons, or Eastern Orthodox churches. (Yale School of Forestry & Environmental Studies)

Q

Queer: An umbrella identity term taken by people who do not conform to heterosexual and/or gender binary norms; a reclaimed derogatory slur taken as a political term to unite people who are marginalized because of their non-conformity to dominant gender identities and/or heterosexuality.

R

Race: A specious classification of human beings created by Europeans (whites) which assigns human worth and social status using ‘white’ as the model of humanity and the height of human achievement for the purpose of establishing and maintaining privilege and power. (Ronald Chisom and Michael Washington, Undoing Racism: A Philosophy of International Social Change. People’s Institute Press. People’s Institute for Survival and Beyond. 1444 North Johnson Street. New Orleans, Louisiana, 70116. 1997. Second Edition. p. 30—31.)

Racial Battle Fatigue: Stress and anxiety caused by constantly dealing with both overtly racist actions and subtle references to one's race. This is an academic term that was created to describe the experiences of undergraduate and graduate students of color. The mundane but extreme stress caused by microaggressions can lead to mental, emotional, and physical strain termed racial battle fatigue.  (North Seattle College)

Racial Justice: Racial Justice is the proactive reinforcement of policies, practices, attitudes and actions that produce equitable power, access, opportunities, treatment, impacts and outcomes for all.

Racial Microaggression: Microaggressions are acts of disregard or subtle insults stemming from, often unconscious, attitudes of white superiority. Microaggressions include the commonplace experiences of POC being ignored by a sales clerk or followed in a store by security guards, hearing white people argue against affirmative action b saying “the most qualified applicants should get the job”, or people of color being complimented for speaking “good English.” (Teaching for Diversity and Social Justice, Third Edition)

Racial Profiling: The discriminatory practice by law enforcement officials of targeting individuals for suspicion of crime based on the individual's race, ethnicity, religion or national origin. (American Civil Liberties Union)

Racism: A system of advantage based on race and supported by institutional structures, policies, and practices that create and sustain advantages for the dominant white group while systematically subordinating members of targeted racial groups. This relative advantage for Whites and subordination for people of color is supported by the actions of individuals, cultural norms and values, and the institutional structures and normative practices of society (See Chapter 6, this volume).

• Alternate Definition: Racial prejudice plus institutional power is racism (People’s Institute for Survival and Beyond).

• Cultural Racism: the belief that the cultural norms of the dominant group (white European Americans in the case of the U.S.) are inherently superior and should be the basis by which all other cultures are judged. Examples of cultural racism include using the term “flesh colored” or “nude” for clothing designed to match only white skin tones (assuming these as the norm), emphasizing individualism without acknowledging collective or group orientations to success, defining one form of English as standard, omitting people of color and including only white authors, composers, historical figures, etc. in curriculum in History or the Arts (adapted from Wijeyesinghe, Griffin, & Love, 1997).

• Individual Racism: The beliefs, attitudes, and actions of individuals that support or perpetuate racism. Individual racism can occur at both an unconscious and conscious level, and can be both active and passive. Examples include telling a racist joke, using a racial epithet, or believing in the inherent superiority of Whites (See Chapter 6).

• Internalized Racism: When people from targeted racial groups internalize racist beliefs about themselves or members of their racial group. Examples include using creams to lighten one’s skin, believing that white leaders are inherently competent, asserting that people of color are not as intelligent as white people, believing that racial inequality is the result of people of color not raising themselves up “by their own bootstraps” (Jackson & Hardiman, 1997).

• Institutional Racism: The network of institutional structures, policies, and practices that create advantages and benefits for Whites and discrimination, oppression, and disadvantage for people from targeted racial groups. The advantages created for Whites are often invisible to them, or are considered “rights” available to everyone as opposed to “privileges” awarded to only some individuals and groups (See Chapter 6 of Teaching for Diversity and Social Justice).

• Horizontal Racism: When people from one targeted racial group believe, act on, or enforce the dominant (white) system of racial discrimination and oppression against other targeted racial groups or individuals. Horizontal racism can occur between members of the same racial group (an Asian person telling another Asian wearing a sari to “dress like an American”; a Latina telling another Latina to stop speaking Spanish), or between members of different, targeted racial groups (Latinos believing stereotypes about Native Americans; African Americans not wanting Asian Americans to move into a predominantly Black neighborhood) (Jackson & Hardiman, 1997).

• Structural Racism: Structural Racism lies underneath, all around and across society. It encompasses: (1) history, which lies underneath the surface, providing the foundation for white supremacy in this country. (2) culture, which exists all around our everyday lives, providing the normalization and replication of racism and, (3) interconnected institutions and policies, they key relationships and rules across society providing the legitimacy and reinforcements to maintain and perpetuate racism. Examples include racist history, dominant cultural representations, popular myths, and compounded and chronic inequities, etc.

Rape culture: term used to describe the ways in which a society trivializes, rationalizes, and even condones rape and other acts of sexual violence, despite being nominally against rape or classifying the acts as crimes. (SJ Wiki) 

Reactionary: an ideological, political, and philosophical position that intends to revert society to traditional conservative values. Examples include any position that wants to enforce the gender binary, social Darwinism, unregulated free market capitalism, and kyriarchy. People who subscribe to such ideologies usually lean to the right politically. As such they usually oppose radicalism, multiculturalism, immigration, and social justice, especially the intersectional kind. (SJ Wiki)

Reclaimed Language: Language that has traditionally been used to hurt and degrade a community but which community members have reclaimed and used as their own. Reclaimed language can be extremely important as a way of taking the negative power out of a word, claiming space, and empowering oneself. However, reclaimed language is also tricky and, depending on the context and the speaker, can be hurtful and dangerous. Some examples are ‘dyke’, ‘fag’, ‘homo’, ‘queen’, and ‘queer’. Although these terms can be used in a positive way by those reclaiming them, it is still offensive to hear them used by others whose intent is to hurt. Although many LGBT people have reclaimed these terms, there are still other LGBT people who consider any usage of these terms offensive, particularly by people who do not personally identify with those terms. (QMunity)

Religion: A system of beliefs, usually spiritual in nature, and often in terms of a formal, organized denomination.

•  Establishment Clause: is the part of the First Amendment to the U.S. Constitution that prohibits the federal government from establishing or supporting any single religion or religious denomination or sect. It is generally referred to as the separation of church and state.

•  Free Exercise Clause: is the part of the First Amendment to the U.S. Constitution that protects the free exercise of religion.

Religious Oppression: refers to the systematic subordination of minority religions (in the United States) such as Buddhists, Hindus, Jews, Muslims, Native American spiritualities, and Sikhs, by the dominant Christian majority. This subordination is a product of the historical tradition of Christian hegemony and the unequal power relationships of minority religious groups with the Christian majority. In the United States, religious oppression is supported by the actions of individuals (religious prejudice), social institutions (religious discrimination), and cultural and societal norms and values associated with Christian hegemony. Through religious oppression, Christianity and its cultural manifestations function to marginalize, exclude, and deny the practices and institutions of religious minority groups the rights, privileges and access held out for all U.S. citizens.

Reproductive justice: when all people have the social, economic, and political resources and power to make healthy decisions over their bodies, their families, their sexuality, and their reproduction for themselves and their families. Reproductive justice (RJ) is inherently connected to multiple social justice and reproductive rights issues. According to Asian Communities for Reproductive Justice, “People have RJ when they are able to walk down the street at night and not fear for their physical safety. They have RJ when they can drink water from their faucet and not be concerned about contaminating their health, and when they can create families of their choosing regardless of their sexual orientation. People have RJ when they have access to health care for their families and when they have jobs that don’t expose them to harmful chemicals. (Zimmerman, K., Miao, V.)

Resistance: The act of challenging the dominant power structure. There are everyday acts of resistance, for example, challenging rigid gender roles within the family or calling out discrimination within the workplace. Alternately, organized, collective forms of resistance range from subtle, symbolic gestures, such as silent protests, to highly visible demonstrations such as marches, strikes, or boycotts. At its core, resistance is a dynamic, revolutionary or radical action used in some instances after engagement with 15 Feminist movement builder’s dictionary | second edition the established channels and formal institutions of power fail. (Feminist Movement Builder’s Dictionary)

Respectability Politics: coined by Evelyn Brooks Higginbotham, refers to attempts by marginalized groups to police their own members and show their social values as being consistent with mainstream values. It is the idea that in order for a group to gain more rights, they must act and appear “respectable.” Originally used to refer to policing of of African American women’s behaviors, the concept can be applied in other situations. It is similar to horizontal hostility. (Yale School of Forestry & Environmental Studies) 

Reverse discrimination: term often used to put down efforts to create equity in service and employment for marginalized people, through positive action. It is a misnomer to term such equity efforts as ‘reversing’ discrimination because increasing access for marginalized groups does not produce systemic inequality for privileged groups. It does not ‘reverse’ broad social and historical power imbalances. (North Seattle College)

Romanticization: A form of stereotyping, representing conditions in an idealised or unrealistically positive way. For example, implying most people with autism have savant abilities is a form of romanticisation, as is implying that most people with bipolar disorder produce great works of art. Contrary to a lot of popular notions about neurodiversity, we do not aim to romanticise by ignoring real difficulties. Calling out inappropriate or overreaching medicalization is not the same as romanticizing a condition.

S

Sexism: A system of beliefs and practices that privileges men and subordinates women.

Sexy lamp test: a test of women's and female presence in media proposed by Kelly Sue DeConnick. If a female character can be removed from the story and replaced by a sexy lamp - if, that is, the female character does nothing and says nothing that is relevant to the story, with the possible exception of existing as a motivating factor or quest object - then the story fails the test. (SJ Wiki)

Sex positive: An attitude that views sexual expression and sexual pleasure, if it's healthy and consensual, as a good thing. (USA Today)

Sex Reassignment Surgery (SRS): a procedure that physically transforms the genitals using plastic surgery. SRS is a single surgical alteration and is only one small part of transition. Not all transgender people choose to, or can afford to, have SRS. While this procedure is often referred to as a sex change operation in popular culture, SRS is the preferred term. (Teaching Tolerance)

Sexual objectification: a social or cultural state of perception that excludes an individual's agency and unique personhood in order to frame them as an object that exists to sexually pleasure others. (SJ Wiki)

Sexual Orientation: Determines the focus of our sexual/erotic drives, desires, and fantasies, and the inclination or capacity to develop intimate, emotional and sexual relationships with other people. Sexual orientation is usually quantified in terms of gender — both an individual’s own gender and the gender(s) of the people to whom that person is attracted and/or with whom they engage in intimate relationships and/or sexual behavior. Emotional, affectional and sexual attractions toward someone of another sex (heterosexual), same-sex (lesbian or gay) or any sex (bisexual/pansexual). 

Sex worker exclusionary radical feminism (SWERF): a subgroup of radical feminism characterized by whorephobia and hostility to the third wave of feminism. This tiny sliver of feminism promotes socially conservative attitudes toward sex and sexuality. (SJ Wiki)

Shinto/Shintoist: The ancient native religion of Japan. Stresses belief in spiritual beings and reverence for ancestors. Adherents are expected to celebrate their gods, or kami. Support the societies in which kami are patron, remain pure and sincere, and enjoy life. (Yale School of Forestry & Environmental Studies)

Sikhism/Sihk: religion founded by Shri Guru Nanek Dev Ji in the Punjab area, now in Pakistan. Sikhs believe in a single formless God with many names who can be known through meditation. They pray several times a day and are not allowed to worship icons or idols. They believe in samsara, karma and reincarnation as Hindus do, but reject the caste system. They believe that everyone has equal status in the eyes of God. Although elements of Islam have been incorporated, it is not Islamic.  (Yale School of Forestry & Environmental Studies)

Sizeism: A system of oppression that produces social and physical barriers based on the size of one’s body, specifically weight, height, or both. Different cultures have internalized attitudes towards certain sizes, and depending on where one is in the world, someone may be considered especially tall, short, or fat. Specifically in Western culture, sizeism depends on the binary of thin and fat; “average” height and dwarf. The manifestation of these forms of oppression have been linked to eating disorders, depression and anxiety. Sizeism intersects with the medical industrial complex. See also: fat oppression, patriarchy, ableism, sexism (Anti-Oppression Network)

Speech Impairment: A communication disorder characterized by impaired articulation, language impairment or voice impairment (e.g. Dysfluency, Stuttering) (Anti-Defamation League).

Social Capital: Resources based on group membership, relationships, networks of influence and support.

Social Construct: a perception of a person, group, or idea has been constructed through cultural and social practice and norms but appears to be natural. For example, gender is a social construct. Any perceived difference among genders is not universally true and is a result of socially constructed/fabricated notions of what any one gender is and how people of that gender should act. Though social constructs do not have a basis in physical reality, they have real implications because their existence is socially upheld and enforced. (Yale School of Forestry & Environmental Studies)

Social Constructivism: in contrast to biological determinism and genderism, social constructionism is a theoretical construct grounded in sociology that asserts that social meaning is created, so the meaning of gender changes according to shifts in cultural, historical, and personal perspectives, rather than having fixed or essential qualities that transcend historical or cultural contexts. (Teaching for Diversity and Social Justice, Third Edition)

Social Groups: A group of people who share a common social identity. Any group of people set apart by socially defined boundaries such as race, gender, sexual orientation, religion, age, ethnicity, ability, socio-economic class, etc. In each social group, individuals are either members of privileged groups (those with the social power) or members of target groups (those who are oppressed). The number of memberships an individual has in the privileged groups defines one’s amount of social power in the U.S. society. (North Seattle College)

 Social Identity: It involves the ways in which one characterizes oneself, the affinities one has with other people, the ways one has learned to behave in stereotyped social settings, the things one values in oneself and in the world, and the norms that one recognizes or accepts governing everyday behavior.  (North Seattle College)

Social Identity Development: The stages or phases that a person's group identity follows as it matures or develops. (North Seattle College)

Social Justice: a process and a goal. A commitment to a socially just world and the committed actions to make that world a reality. Or, “The goal of social justice is full and equal participation of all groups in a society that is mutually shaped to meet their needs. Social justice includes a vision of society in which the distribution of resources is equitable and all members are physically and psychologically safe and secure… Social justice involves social actors who have a sense of their own agency as well as a sense of social responsibility toward and with others, their society, and the broader world in which we live.” (Teaching for Diversity and Social Justice)

Social Oppression: Exists when one social group, whether knowingly or unconsciously, exploits another social group for its own benefit. It involves ideological control as well as domination and control of social institutions and resources resulting in a condition of privilege for the advantaged group relative to the disenfranchisement and exploitation of the targeted group.

Social Power: Is access to resources, usually as a result of one’s advantaged status, that enhance one’s chances of getting what one needs or influencing others in order to lead a safe, productive, fulfilling life.

Status: Social status can be understood as the degree of honor or prestige attached to one’s position in society.

Stereotype: An undifferentiated, simplistic attribution that involves a judgment of habits, traits, abilities, or expectations and is assigned as a characteristic to all members of a group regardless of individual variation and with no attention to the relation between the attributions and the social contexts in which they have arisen.

T

Taoism/Taoist: both a philosophy and a religion. Founded in China in 604 B.C. by Lau-tzu, derived

primarily from the Tao-te-ching, which claims that an ever changing universe follows the

Tao or path. Taoism prescribes that people live simply, spontaneously, and in close touch

with nature. Meditation allows people to achieve contact with the Tao. It has been

discouraged since the Communist revolution in China but flourishes in Taiwan. (Yale School of Forestry & Environmental Studies)

Tokenism (n.):  The policy of making only a perfunctory effort or symbolic gesture toward the accomplishment of a goal, such as racial integration; the practice of hiring or appointing  a token number of people from underrepresented groups in order to deflect criticism or comply with affirmative action rules.  (The National Multicultural Institute)

Targeted group member: A member of a targeted group exploited by an advantaged group or groups, examples: people of color, women, poor, lower middle class, working class, lesbians, gay, bisexual, and transgender people, young people and elders of individual differences among members of that group. Note: Both advantaged and targeted groups vary among nations and cultures. Advantaged and targeted groups are capable of prejudice, abuse, violence and hatred although only the advantaged groups have the institutional and cultural power to back up their prejudices against targeted groups.

Traditional Sexism: The belief that male gender identities and masculine gender expressions are superior to female and/or feminine ones. (QMunity)

Transformation of Society: Changes in laws, policies, procedures, cultural norms, and social attitudes, as well as the distribution of power, privilege, and opportunities, for participation to be available to all members of society from a basis of equity.

Transgender: A person whose self-definition challenges and disrupts traditional binary conceptions and boundaries of gender and sexuality An umbrella term that may include transsexuals, cross dressers, drag queens, drag kings, butch lesbians, and any other people transgressing the socially constructed confines of gender. This is an identity that must be claimed as one’s own; it should not be imposed upon people.

Trans*/Trans with the asterisk: a proposed umbrella term for trans people. Within social justice, especially transgender rights activism, it is sometimes used with the intention to make the word "trans" more inclusive. This is in fact a misunderstanding what the word trans means. Trans is defined exactly as "all non-cisgender" people. Transgender is anybody who does not identity with the gender assigned to them at birth, this by definition includes non-binary people. Trans without the asterisk has always been an umbrella term. (SJ Wiki)

Transgender Oppression: A system of cultural beliefs and practices that assume a fixed, binary system of gender into which everyone must fit.

TERF/TWERF  Trans (Women) Exclusionary Radical Feminist: - a harmful sect of feminism that uses medical gender essentialism to discredit transfeminine womanhood and exclude trans women from women’s spaces. TERFs have historically been associated with hate violence against trans women as well as disrupting and dismantling womens spaces because of their outrage at the inclusion of transgender women. (The Nonbinary Transgender Information Centre)

Transmisogyny: the negative attitudes, expressed through cultural hate, individual and state violence, and discrimination directed toward trans women and trans and gender nonconforming people on the feminine end of the gender spectrum (Everyday Feminism)

Transphobia: The fear, intolerance, or hatred of atypical gender expression or identity, or of people embodying or expressing an atypical gender identity.

Transsexual: A person who alters their body through surgery or hormonal treatments to live as another gender or sex  Someone who wants to, intends to, or has begun to pursue some physical change to his/her/hir body, in an effort to align the physical body with one’s gender identity, and identifies with this term. This is an identity that must be claimed as one’s own; it should not be imposed upon people.

Triggers: A trigger is something that an individual says or does or an organizational policy or practice that makes us, as members of social groups, feel diminished, offended, threatened, stereotyped, discounted or attacked. Triggers do not necessarily threaten our physical safety. We often feel psychologically threatened. We can also be triggered on behalf of another social group. Though we do not feel personally threatened, our sense of social justice is violated.

Trigger Warning: a way of allowing people to view, read, listen to, or otherwise experience something consensually. TWs can be seen as akin to age certificates on films or video games. The purpose is two-fold: a trigger warning allows one to know the contents of what they are about to experience, in order for them to decide if they want to indeed experience it. Trigger warnings also allow one to prepare themselves, because they have to experience something. Both these cases largely overlap; one is being informed of what one is about to experience. (SJ Wiki)

Two-Spirit(ed): Native American term to describe person who embodies attributes of both masculine and feminine genders, have distinct gender and social roles in their tribes, and are often involved with rituals. Their dress is usually mixture of male and female articles and they are seen as a separate or third gender. The term two-spirit is sometimes considered specific to the Zuni tribe. Similar identity labels vary by tribe such as Wintke (Lakota), Hee-man-eh (Cheyenne), and Nedleeh (Navajo); 2) Native Americans who are queer or transgender.  

U

Undocumented immigrants: Undocumented immigrants are foreign nationals who: 1) entered the United States without authorization; or 2) entered legally but remained in the United States without authorization. However, undocumented youth and students usually have no role in the decision to come to this country. They are usually brought to this country by relatives, and for many, they have spent many more years in the United States than in their country of origin. Many undocumented students are honor students, athletes, student leaders, and aspiring professionals. But because of their immigration status, the majority are unable to access higher education and even if they do, they are not legally able to obtain employment upon graduation. (North Seattle College)

V

Victim-blaming: when the victim of a crime or harmful act is held fully or partially responsible for it. If you hear someone questioning what a victim could have done to prevent a crime, that's victim-blaming, and it makes it harder for people to come forward and report abuse. Groups working to eradicate abuse and sexual assault are clear: No woman is guilty for violence committed by a man. (USA today)

W

Weight stigma:  the oppression, marginalisation, mocking, and shaming, of anybody whose body is in any way classified as being larger than the perceived norm. (SJ Wiki)

Whiteness: like race, whiteness is a social construct rather than an essential characteristic or biological fact; is used as cultural property, and can be seen to provide material and/or social privilege to those who are considered white, pass as white, or are given honorary white status (Lewis & Clark College, Department of Inclusion & Multicultural Engagement)

White Guilt: the individual or collective guilt felt by some white people for the historical and current oppressions experienced by people of color; though white guilt has been described as being a detrimental consequence of racism, experiences associated with white guilt are not comparable to the experiences of systemic oppression faced by marginalized communities (Lewis & Clark College, Department of Inclusion & Multicultural Engagement)

White Privilege: The concrete benefits of access to resources and social rewards and the power to shape the norms and values of society that Whites receive, tacitly or explicitly, by virtue of their position in a racist society. Examples include the luxury to be unaware of race, the ability to live and work among people of the same racial group as their own, the security of not being pulled over by the police for being a suspicious person, the expectation that they speak for themselves and not for their entire race, the ability to assume that a job hire or promotion will be attributed to their skills and background and not to affirmative action (Mclntosh, 1988).

White Savior Complex: A person of privilege that enters an area of oppression to “help” without finding the true solution to the issue, is categorized as a white savior.

White Supremacy: White supremacy is an historically based, institutionally perpetuated system of exploitation and oppression of continents, nations and peoples of color by white peoples and nations of the European continent; for the purpose of maintaining and defending a system of wealth, power and privilege. 

Whitesplaining: verb that means to condescendingly explain something (especially to a person or people of color) from the viewpoint of white privilege. The splainer usually - but not always - holds white privilege. Sometimes called colorsplaining or melaninsplaining. (SJ Wiki)

Woke misogynist: Nona Willis Aronowitz paints an all-too-familiar picture of the guy who acts like he's all about gender equality, but then turns around and demeans, degrades and harasses women. His misogyny may not always be overt, but it's there. (USA Today)

X 

Xenophobia: Hatred or fear of persons of a different nationality or ethnicity than one's own.

Y

Youth oppression: the systematic subordination of young people based on age through the restriction and denial of opportunities to exercise social, economic, and political power. This includes restricted access to goods, services, and privileges of society, along with loss of voice and limited access to participation in society. (Teaching for Diversity and Social Justice, Third Edition)