Glossary & Definitions
Here at AYA there are some terms that we want you to become familiar with. Check some of them out below.
Note: This list will be updating itself over time and is not a comprehensive list of terms used. Since terminology can be fluid and one’s social identity may mean different things to different people, these definitions are not “exact” rather aim to serve as a resource.
Ableism | “Discrimination of and social prejudice against people with disabilities based on the belief that typical abilities are superior. At its heart, ableism is rooted in the assumption that disabled people require 'fixing' and defines people by their disability” Source: Access Living, “Ableism 101” (2019).
Ageism | “discrimination against individuals because of their age, often based on stereotypes.” The National Multicultural Institute
Anti-Oppression - Recognizing and deconstructing the systemic, institutional and personal forms of disempowerment used by certain groups over others; actively challenging the different forms of oppression. (Center for Anti-Oppressive Education)
Anti-racism | “The work of actively opposing racism by advocating for changes in political, economic, and social life. Anti-racism tends to be an individualized approach, and set up in opposition to individual racist behaviors and impacts.” Source: Race Forward, “Race Reporting Guide” (2015).
BIPOC - An acronym for Black, Indigenous and People of Color. The term has increased in use and awareness during 2020 after the Black Lives Matter resurgence against racism and police brutality in the wake of the George Floyd shooting. BIPOC is meant to emphasize the particular hardships faced by Black and Indigenous people in the US and Canada and is also meant to acknowledge that not all people of color face the same levels of injustice. Source
Cisgender | A term used to describe a person whose gender identity aligns with those typically associated with the sex assigned to them at birth. Source: HRC, “Glossary of Terms” (2021)
Class “Classism is the systematic oppression of subordinated class groups, held in place by attitudes that rank people according to economic status, family lineage, job status, level of education, and other divisions. One’s race can be a major determinant of one’s social or economic class. The variables of race and class, though closely connected, each need distinct attention.” Source: Race Forward, “Race Reporting Guide” (2015).
Classism | biased attitudes and beliefs that result in, and help to justify, unfair treatment of individuals or groups because of their socioeconomic grouping. Classism can also be expressed as public policies and institutional practices that prevent people from breaking out of poverty rather than ensuring equal economic, social, and educational opportunity. Source: The National Multicultural Institute
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. Source
Colorblind | “term used to describe personal, group, and institutional policies or practices that do not consider race or ethnicity as a determining factor. The term “colorblind” de-emphasizes or ignores race and ethnicity as a large part of one’s identity. Source: The National Multicultural Institute
Discrimination | “Treatment of an individual or group based on their actual or perceived membership in a social category, usually used to describe unjust or prejudicial treatment on the grounds of race, age, sex, gender, ability, socioeconomic class, immigration status, national origin, or religion.” Source: Race Forward, “Race Reporting Guide” (2015).
Diversity | “There are many kinds of diversity, based on race, gender, sexual orientation, class, age, country of origin, education, religion, geography, physical, or cognitive abilities. Valuing diversity means recognizing differences between people, acknowledging that these differences are a valued asset, and striving for diverse representation as a critical step towards equity. See “Equity.” “ Source: Race Forward, “Race Reporting Guide” (2015).
Equity | “Equity means fairness and justice and focuses on outcomes that are most appropriate for a given group, recognizing different challenges, needs, and histories. It is distinct from diversity, which can simply mean variety (the presence of individuals with various identities). It is also not equality, or “same treatment,” which doesn’t take differing needs or disparate outcomes into account. Systemic equity involves a robust system and dynamic process consciously designed to create, support and sustain social justice. See “Racial Justice.”” Source: Race Forward, “Race Reporting Guide” (2015).
Gender | “A social construct used to classify a person as a man, woman, or some other identity. Fundamentally different from the sex one is assigned at birth; a set of social, psychological and emotional traits, often influenced by societal expectations” Source: UCSF, “General Terms” (2021)
Heterosexism | social structures and practices which serve to elevate and enforce heterosexuality while subordinating or suppressing other forms of sexuality. Source : University of Maryland
Inclusion | “Being included within a group or structure. More than simply diversity and quantitative representation, inclusion involves authentic and empowered participation, with a true sense of belonging and full access to opportunities.” Source: Race Forward, “Race Reporting Guide” (2015).
Intersectionality | “The acknowledgement that multiple power dynamics/”isms” are operating simultaneously—often in complex and compounding ways—and must be considered together in order to have a more complete understanding of oppression and ways to transform it. There are multiple forms of privilege and oppression based on race, gender, class, sexuality, age, ability, religion, citizenship or immigration status, and so on. These social hierarchies are products of our social, cultural, political, economic, and legal environment. They drive disparities and divisions that help those in power maintain and expand their power. There’s a danger in falsely equating different dynamics (e.g. racism and sexism) or comparing different systems to each other (sometimes referred to as the “oppression Olympics”). It is important to give each dynamic distinct, specific and sufficient attention. Every person is privileged in some areas and disadvantaged in other areas.” Source: Race Forward, “Race Reporting Guide” (2015).
Intersex | Term to describe a person whose sex assigned at birth does not neatly fit into the socially accepted binary of “male” or “female,” because they have genitalia, hormone production levels and/or chromosomal makeups that are ambiguous or non-binary. Source: UF, “LGBTQ Terms and Definitions” (2021)
“-isms” | a way of describing any attitude, action or institutional structure that subordinates (oppresses) a person or group because of their target group: race (racism), gender (sexism), economic status (classism), age (ageism), religion, sexual orientation, language, etc. Source: Institute for Democratic Renewal and Project Change
LGBTQ2S+ | “an acronym for Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, Queer and/or Questioning, Intersex, Asexual, Two-Spirit, and the countless affirmative ways in which people choose to self-identify.” Source: Portland Museum, “Powerful Self: LGBTQIA2S+ Lives Today” (2020).
Marginalization | the placement of minority groups and cultures outside mainstream society. All that varies from the norm of the dominant culture is devalued and at times perceived as deviant and regressive. Source: The National Multicultural Institute
Non-binary | An adjective describing a person who does not identify exclusively as a man or a woman. Non-binary people may identify as being both a man and a woman, somewhere in between, or as falling completely outside these categories. While many also identify as transgender, not all non-binary people do. Non-binary can also be used as an umbrella term encompassing identities such as agender, bigender, genderqueer or gender-fluid. Source: HRC, “Glossary of Terms” (2021)
Oppression | “The systematic subjugation of one social group by a more powerful social group for the social, economic, and political benefit of the more powerful social group. Rita Hardiman and Bailey Jackson state that oppression exists when the following 4 conditions are found:
the oppressor group has the power to define reality for themselves and others,
the target groups take in and internalize the negative messages about them and end up cooperating with the oppressors (thinking and acting like them),
genocide, harassment, and discrimination are systematic and institutionalized, so that individuals are not necessary to keep it going, and,
members of both the oppressor and target groups are socialized to play their roles as normal and correct.
Oppression = Power + Prejudice”
Source: “What Is Racism?” − Dismantling Racism Works (dRworks) web workbook.
People of Color | “Often the preferred collective term for referring to non-White racial groups. Racial justice advocates have been using the term “people of color” (not to be confused with the pejorative “colored people”) since the late 1970s as an inclusive and unifying frame across different racial groups that are not White, to address racial inequities. While “people of color” can be a politically useful term, and describes people with their own attributes (as opposed to what they are not, e.g., “non-White”), it is also important whenever possible to identify people through their own racial/ethnic group, as each has its own distinct experience and meaning and may be more appropriate.” Source: Race Forward, “Race Reporting Guide” (2015).
Privilege | “A set of advantages systemically conferred on a particular person or group of people. White people are racially privileged, even if they are economically underprivileged. Privilege and oppression go hand-in-hand: they are two sides of the same power relationship, and both sides of the equation must be understood and addressed. People can be disadvantaged by one identity and privileged by another. See “Intersectionality,” “White supremacy.”” Source: Race Forward, “Race Reporting Guide” (2015).
Queer | A term people often use to express a spectrum of identities and orientations that are counter to the mainstream. Queer is often used as a catch-all to include many people, including those who do not identify as exclusively straight and/or folks who have non-binary or genderexpansive identities. This term was previously used as a slur, but has been reclaimed by many parts of the LGBTQ movement. Source: HRC, “Glossary of Terms” (2021)
Race | “While often assumed to be a biological classification, based on physical and genetic variation, racial categories do not have a scientific basis. However, the consequences of racial categorization are real, as the ideology of race has become embedded in our identities, institutions, and culture, and is used as a basis for discrimination and racial profiling. How one is racialized is a major determinant of one’s socioeconomic status and life opportunities. See “Racial & ethnic categories.” “ Source: Race Forward, “Race Reporting Guide” (2015).
Racial & ethnic categories | System of organizing people into groups based on their identified race and ethnicity, with categories that may change over time. Data is derived from self-identification questions; however, people often do not get to select the categories from which they must choose, making most methods of categorizing and counting highly political and often problematic. See the section Covering Key Issues “Reporting on Racial And Ethnic Groups.” “ Source: Race Forward, “Race Reporting Guide” (2015).
Racial hierarchy | “Ranking of different races/ethnic groups, based on physical and perceived characteristics. Racial hierarchy is not a binary of White vs. non-White, rather a complex system where groups occupy different rungs of political, economic and cultural power. Racist ideology relies on maintaining hierarchies, even among racial groups. Racial justice The systematic fair treatment of people of all races, resulting in equitable opportunities and outcomes for all. Racial justice—or racial equity—goes beyond “anti-racism.” It is not just the absence of discrimination and inequities, but also the presence of deliberate systems and supports to achieve and sustain racial equity through proactive and preventative measures” Source: Race Forward, “Race Reporting Guide” (2015).
Racism | “individual and institutional practices and policies based on the belief that a particular race is superior to others. This often results in depriving certain individuals and groups of civil liberties, rights, and other resources, hindering opportunities for social, educational, and political advancement.“ Source: The National Multicultural Institute
Religionism | the individual, cultural and institutional beliefs and discrimination that systematically oppress non-Christians, which includes Anti-Semitism and Islamophobia. Source: National Coalition of Christians and Jews
Restorative Justice | “Restorative Justice is a theory of justice that emphasizes repairing the harm caused by crime and conflict. It places decisions in the hands of those who have been most affected by a wrongdoing, and gives equal concern to the victim, the offender, and the surrounding community. Restorative responses are meant to repair harm, heal broken relationships, and address the underlying reasons for the offense. Restorative Justice emphasizes individual and collective accountability. Crime and conflict generate opportunities to build community and increase grassroots power when restorative practices are employed.”
Source: The Movement for Black Lives (M4BL), “Glossary.”
Safe Space | a space in which an individual or group may remain free of blame, ridicule and persecution, and are in no danger of coming to mental or physical harm. Source: The National Multicultural Institute
Sex assigned at birth | “The sex (male or female) given to a child at birth, most often based on the child's external anatomy.” Source: HRC, “Glossary of Terms” (2021)
Sexual orientation | “An inherent or immutable enduring emotional, romantic or sexual attraction to other people. Note: an individual’s sexual orientation is independent of their gender identity.” Source: HRC, “Glossary of Terms” (2021)
Social Justice | “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 and the society as a whole“(Adams, Bell and Griffin)
System |
an interlocking set of parts that together make a whole
an established way of doing something, such that things get done that way regularly and are assumed to be the ‘normal’ way things get done
runs by itself; does not require planning or initiative by a person or group
Source: “What Is Racism?” − Dismantling Racism Works (dRworks) web workbook.
Transgender | “An umbrella term for people whose gender identity and/or expression is different from cultural expectations based on the sex they were assigned at birth. Being transgender does not imply any specific sexual orientation. Therefore, transgender people may identify as straight, gay, lesbian, bisexual, etc.” Source: HRC, “Glossary of Terms” (2021)
Trauma Informed Approach | “A program, organization, or system that is trauma-informed realizes the widespread impact of trauma and understands potential paths for recovery; recognizes the signs and symptoms of trauma in clients, families, staff, and others involved with the system; and responds by fully integrating knowledge about trauma into policies, procedures, and practices, and seeks to actively resist re-traumatization.” Source: “SAMHSA Concept of Trauma and Guidance for a Trauma-Informed Approach” (2014).
White supremacy | “A form of racism centered upon the belief that White people are superior to people of other racial backgrounds and that Whites should politically, economically, and socially dominate nonWhites. While often associated with violence perpetrated by the KKK and other White supremacist groups, it also describes a political ideology and systemic oppression that perpetuates and maintains the social, political, historical and/or industrial White domination.” Source: Race Forward, “Race Reporting Guide” (2015).