Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Key Terms

genderqueer

a person's gender identity or gender expression that does not align with the gender binary (male and female)

disability

a physical, mental or cognitive impairment or condition that requires special accommodations to ensure programmatic and physical access

ze

gender neutral pronouns that can be used instead of he/she

cultural competence(y)

is the ability to interact effectively across various facets of diversity, to flex with differences. Cultural competence is what we need to be inclusive. It requires (1) being self-aware of your own culture, assumptions, values, styles, biases, attitudes, privilege, etc.; (2) understanding others' cultures, assumptions, values, styles, biases, attitudes, privilege, etc.; and (3) based on this knowledge, understanding your potential impact on others and interacting with them in a situationally appropriate way for greater effectiveness and inclusion

ability

power or capacity to do or act physically, mentally, legally, morally, financially, etc.

social justice

to take action as an advocate for a just society where all people have a right to fair and equitable treatment, support and resources

marginalization

treatment of a person, group or concept as insignificant or pervasive and places them outside of the mainstream society

intersex

various conditions that lead to atypical development of physical sex characteristics are collectively referred to as intersex conditions. These conditions can involve abnormalities of the external genitals, internal reproductive organs, sex chromosomes or sex-related hormones

indigenous

A person or group of people whose culture, identity, and often spirituality are rooted in a particular place

cisgender

A person whose gender identity (and often gender expression) matches the sex they were assigned at birth

culture

A set of shared ideas, customs, traditions, beliefs, and practices shared by a group of people that is constantly changing, in subtle and major ways`

equity

An approach that ensure everyone is given equal opportunity; this means that resources may be divided and shared unequally to make sure that each person can access an opportunity. it takes into account that people have different access to resources because of system of oppression and privilege. Equity seeks to balance that disparity

lesbian

a common and acceptable word for a female homosexual only

intercultural competence

is the ability to develop targeted knowledge, skills and attitudes that lead to visible behavior and communication that are both effective and appropriate in intercultural interactions

mx

is used as a gender neutral title for those who do not identify as being of a particular gender, or for people who simply don't want to be identified by gender

queer

some LGBTQ people use this term as a way of reclaiming the power associated in the past with this term and other derogatory terms (such as fag or dyke). Others use it as a more general all-inclusive term to represent a variety of sexual orientations and/or gender identities or anything that defies easy definition or categorization. Like any term or label, there is no general consensus on what Queer means, and it is still considered offensive by older generations

stereotypes (vs. generalizations)

stereotypes refer to the widely held, oversimplified ideas we hold about a person based on their identity. Usually, stereotypes are based on assumptions, popular opinion, or misinformation, are generally negative, are sweeping and simple, and are often characterized by words such as "always" and "never." Generalizations, on the other hand, are based on observable experiences within a community, are not necessarily negative, are helpful and intended to guide people in their actions, are complex, and are often qualified by words such as "often," "sometimes," and "may."

sex

term

socioeconomic status

the amount of money you earn in wages each month or year. This can change rapidly.

class

refers to how much wealth you have access to through property, inheritance, family support, investments, or other wealth not directly associated to wage earning

system of oppression

refers to systems of power in society that advantage certain groups over others, and include ideologies such as racism, sexism, heterosexism, etc. (collectively "the isms")

cultural humility

refers to the attitude and practice of working with clients at the micro, mezzo, and macro levels with a presence of humility while learning, communicating, offering help, and making decisions in professional practice and settings

accessibility

refers to the design of products, devices, services or environments for people with disabilities. the concept of accessible design ensures both direct access (i.e. unassisted) and indirect access, meaning compatibility with a person's assistive technology (for example, computer screen readers)

gender identity

refers to the internal perception of one's gender; how a person labels themselves. Gender is not what's between your legs; it's what's between your ears. There are countless ways in which people may identify themselves. Gender is a universe and we are all stars

micro aggressions

Subtle, often unconscious everyday behaviors that often unintentionally denigrate someone from a historically marginalized or non-dominant group. They are small, but if experienced chronically, a person can feel, "death by a thousand tiny cuts."

colorblindness

The process by which a person attempts to ignore the existence of race or skin color in service of seeing past race and just seeing the person. This deemphasizing of race, however, ignores the real, lived experience of people of color in the US and ignores their experience

cultural pluralism

a complete appreciation of other cultures and recognition of the contribution of each group to a common civilization. It strives to create the conditions of harmony and respect within a culturally diverse society

xenophobia

a culturally based fear of outsiders. It has often been associated with the hostile reception given to those who immigrate into societies and communities. It could result from a genuine fear of strangers, or it could be based on things such as competition for jobs, or ethnic, racial or religious prejudice

ethnicity

a group of people that identify with one another based on shared culture

gay

a man whose primary romantic, emotional, physical and sexual attractions are to other men. This term can also be used to apply to lesbians, bisexuals, and on some occasions, be used as an umbrella term for all LGBTQ people

ally

a person of one social identity group who stands up in support of members of another group; typically member of dominant identity advocating and supporting a marginalized group

bicultural

a person who has the ability to function effectively and appropriately and can select appropriate behaviors, values and attitudes within two cultures

transgender

a person whose gender identity (and sometimes expression) does not align with the sex they were assigned at birth. Trans* is an umbrella term that refers to various different ways that people transgress gender norms

race

a social construct that artificially divides people into distinct groups based on characteristics such as physical appearance, ancestral heritage, cultural affiliation, cultural history, ethnic classification, and the political needs of a society at a given period of time

'ism's'

a way of describing any attitude, action or institutional structure that subordinates (oppresses) a person or group because of their target group, color (racism), gender (sexism), economic status (classism), older age (ageism), religion (e.g., anti‐Semitism), sexual orientation (heterosexism), language/immigrant status (xenophobism), etc

power

ability to control, coerce or influence people based on privilege identities. Power may be positional and provide access to social, political, and economic resources

implicit bias

also known as unconscious or hidden bias, these are negative associations that people unknowingly hold

gender non-conforming

an adjective and umbrella term to describe individuals whose gender expression, gender identity or gender role differs from gender norms associated with their assigned birth sex

prejudice

an opinion, prejudgment or attitude about a group or its individual members. can be positive, but usually refers to a negative attitude

privilege

any unearned benefit, right or advantage one receives in society by nature of their identities.

discrimination

behavior that treats people unequally because of their group memberships. this behavior, ranging from slights to hate crimes, often begins with negative stereotypes and prejudices

inclusion

embracing, leveraging, and celebrating the strengths of our diversity and ensuring everyone feels welcomed and valued for who they are. It is not merely tolerating differences or overcoming differences to focus on "our common humanity." Diversity is what we are, and inclusion is what we do

zir

gender neutral pronouns that can be used instead of his/her

bisexual

having emotional, romantic or sexual attractions to both men and women.

people of color

include U.S. citizens who do not identify as only white or Caucasian under the current U.S. Census ethnicity categories. This is the preferred and most inclusive term, currently

ableism

negative attitudes and prejudice toward an individual based on physical, mental, or physical and mental disabilities

acculturation

occurs when the minority culture changes but is still able to retain unique cultural markers of language, food and customs

asexual

person who is not sexually attracted to anyone or does not have a sexual orientation. They may or may not experience romantic attraction

intersectionality

refers to the interconnected nature of identity such as race, class and gender, and the interdependent systems of power and privilege that result from the interconnectedness. For example, a heterosexual black female-identified person may experience power and privilege differently than a queer black female-identified person or a heterosexual white female-identified person. A salient quote on intersectionality is Audre Lorde's quote "There is no thing as a single-issue struggle because we do not live single-issue lives."

LGBTQAAI

the acronym that means Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender. The addition of a "Q" at the end often means "questioning" or "queer." One "A" stands for "asexual", another for "allies". The "I" means "intersex"

multiculturalism

the practice of acknowledging and respecting the various cultures, religions, languages, social equity, races, ethnicities, attitudes, and opinions within an environment. The theory and practice promotes peaceful coexistence of all identities and people

assimilation

the process whereby a group gradually adopts the characteristics of another culture

sexual orientation

the type of attraction one feels for others, often labeled based on the gender relationship between the person and the people they are attracted to

diversity

the unique differences among individuals in a group based on which we may be treated differently in society. Ethnicity is not the only way in which we are diverse as a group. There are countless visible and invisible facets of diversity. Furthermore, a person cannot be "diverse" (as in "diverse candidate").

gender expression

the way that someone outwardly displays their gender through style, demeanor, and social behavior