DEI Terms

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• Ableism The systematic privileging of non disabled people and discrimination against disabled people
• Able Bodied A discouraged term; use non disabled instead
• Advocate A person who actively supports and defends the rights of marginalized groups
• Affirmative Action Policies or actions to increase opportunities for historically marginalized groups
• Ageism Discrimination or prejudice based on age
• Allistic A person who is not autistic
• Ally A person who uses their privilege to support marginalized groups through action
• Androgynous Presenting or identifying as neither clearly masculine nor feminine
• Anti Racist Actively opposing racism through beliefs and actions
• Antisemitism Hostility or discrimination against Jewish people
• Assimilation The process of adopting dominant cultural norms
• Belonging A sense of acceptance and psychological safety where people can be authentic
• Benevolent Sexism Seemingly positive attitudes that reinforce gender inequality
• Bias A prejudice for or against a person or group
• Bicultural Able to function effectively in two different cultures
• Bigotry Extreme and overt prejudice or hatred
• Biphobia Fear or hatred toward bisexual people
• BIPOC Black, Indigenous, and People of Color
• Biracial Having parents from two different racial groups
• Bisexual Attraction to more than one gender
• Caregiver A person who provides care to someone who is sick, elderly, disabled, or a child
• Change Agent A person who actively promotes DEI change in an organization
• Cisgender Gender identity matches sex assigned at birth
• Cisnormativity The assumption that everyone is cisgender
• Code Switching Changing behavior or language to fit dominant norms
• Cognition Mental processes such as thinking, understanding, and remembering
• Cognitive Bias Automatic assumptions shaped by culture and experience
• Coming Out Disclosing sexual orientation or gender identity
• Cultural Competence Ability to interact effectively across cultures
• Cultural Conditioning Unconscious adoption of cultural norms
• Culture Shared values, beliefs, and behaviors of a group
• Demisexual Sexual attraction experienced only after emotional connection
• Disability A physical, mental, or sensory condition affecting daily life
• Discrimination Unfair treatment based on protected characteristics
• Diversity The presence of differences within a group
• DEI Organizational efforts to promote diversity, equity, and inclusion
• EEO Employment decisions based on job related criteria without discrimination
• Equity Fairness achieved by addressing different needs and barriers
• Ethnicity Shared cultural traits such as language or traditions
• Feminism Belief in gender equality across social, political, and economic areas
• Frames of Reference Mental filters used to interpret the world
• Gaslighting Psychological manipulation causing someone to doubt their reality
• Gender Socially constructed roles and expectations
• Gender Dysphoria Distress caused by mismatch between assigned sex and gender identity
• Gender Expression How a person outwardly expresses gender
• Gender Identity Internal sense of one’s gender
• Gender Nonconforming Expression outside traditional gender norms
• Genderqueer Rejecting fixed gender categories
• Glass Ceiling Invisible barriers to advancement for marginalized groups
• Harassment Unwanted conduct creating a hostile environment
• Heteronormativity Assumption that heterosexuality is the default
• Heterosexism Belief that heterosexuality is superior
• Homophobia Fear or hatred of LGBTQIA+ people
• Implicit Bias Unconscious attitudes affecting judgment
• Inclusion Creating environments where everyone feels valued
• Institutional Racism Racism embedded in policies and systems
• Intersectionality Overlapping identities shaping experiences of oppression
• Islamophobia Fear or hatred of Islam or Muslims
• Lesbian A woman attracted to other women
• LGBTQIA+ Umbrella term for diverse sexual and gender identities
• Majority Group Group with the most social power
• Microaggression Subtle verbal or behavioral slights toward marginalized groups
• Misgendering Using incorrect pronouns or gender labels
• Misogyny Hatred of women
• Multicultural Coexistence of multiple cultures
• Neurodiversity Recognition of natural neurological differences
• Neurotypical Neurological functioning considered typical
• Non Binary Gender identities outside male female binary
• Patriarchy Social system where men hold primary power
• Prejudice Preconceived negative judgment
• Privilege Unearned advantages based on identity
• Psychological Safety Feeling safe to speak without fear of harm
• Queer Umbrella term for non heterosexual or non cisgender identities
• Questioning Exploring sexual orientation or gender identity
• Race A social construct used to categorize people
• Racism Systemic oppression based on race
• Sex Biological characteristics assigned at birth
• Sexism Belief in gender based superiority
• Sexual Orientation Pattern of romantic or sexual attraction
• Stereotypes Oversimplified beliefs about groups
• Systemic Racism Racism embedded in institutions and society
• Transgender Gender identity differs from sex assigned at birth
• Transphobia Fear or hatred of transgender people
• Trigger Stimulus that reactivates trauma
• Unconscious Bias Bias operating outside conscious awareness
• Victim Blaming Holding victims responsible for harm
• White Privilege Systemic advantages held by white people
• White Fragility Defensive reactions to discussions of race
• Asexual Experiencing little or no sexual attraction
• Aromantic Experiencing little or no romantic attraction
• Assigned Sex at Birth Sex assigned based on physical characteristics at birth
• Boundaries Limits people set to protect personal space and wellbeing
• Care Ethics Ethical framework emphasizing empathy, relationships, and responsibility
• Cisnormative Bias Bias assuming cisgender identities are the norm
• Closeted Not openly disclosing sexual orientation or gender identity
• Colorism Discrimination based on skin tone within the same racial group
• Coping Mechanisms Strategies used to manage stress or trauma
• Cross Cultural Interaction between people from different cultures
• Cross Dressing Wearing clothing traditionally associated with another gender
• Demographic Parity Equal representation across groups
• Displaced Person Someone forced to leave their homeland
• Dyslexia A language based learning disability affecting reading and writing
• ERG Employee led group supporting inclusion in the workplace
• Ethnocentrism Judging other cultures by one’s own cultural standards
• FAAB Female assigned at birth
• Gaslighting Culture Normalization of psychological manipulation in systems
• Gender Expansive Broad range of gender identities beyond binary norms
• Gender Fluid Gender identity that changes over time
• Gender Neutral Not identifying with or using gendered language
• Gender Role Social expectations tied to gender
• Gender Transition Process of aligning gender identity and expression
• Graysexual Rare or limited sexual attraction
• Groupthink Desire for harmony that suppresses dissent
• Hair Discrimination Discrimination based on hair texture or style
• Hidden Disabilities Disabilities not immediately visible
• Hostile Sexism Openly negative attitudes toward women
• Implicit Association Automatic mental connection between concepts
• Internalized Oppression Acceptance of negative stereotypes about one’s own group
• Internalized Racism Internal adoption of racist beliefs
• Internalized Sexism Internal belief in gender inferiority
• Intersex Born with sex characteristics outside typical male female definitions
• Legal Gender Recognition Official recognition of gender identity by law
• MAAB Male assigned at birth
• Marginalization Exclusion from power and resources
• Meritocracy System claiming rewards are based only on merit
• Micro Inequities Small actions that reinforce exclusion
• Misandry Hatred of men
• Misogynoir Misogyny directed at Black women
• Neurodivergent Neurological functioning different from societal norms
• Non Disabled Preferred term instead of able bodied
• Organizational Culture Shared values and norms shaping behavior at work
• Outing Revealing someone’s LGBTQIA+ identity without consent
• Pansexual Attraction regardless of gender identity
• Pinkwashing Superficial LGBTQIA+ support without real inclusion
• Power Imbalance Unequal distribution of power in relationships
• Protected Characteristics Traits legally protected from discrimination
• Queerphobia Fear or hostility toward queer identities
• Racialized Socially assigned racial identity
• Racial Consciousness Awareness of racial history and bias
• Representation Presence of diverse identities in positions of visibility
• Same Gender Loving Term emphasizing emotional connection beyond labels
• Sex Characteristics Biological traits related to sex
• Sexual Fluidity Sexual attraction that changes over time
• Sexual Minority Individuals outside the sexual majority
• Social Transition Non medical steps in gender transition
• Structural Inequality Inequality built into systems
• TERF Trans exclusionary radical feminist
• Transmisogyny Intersection of transphobia and misogyny
• Transition Process of gender affirmation
• Unlearning Bias Actively challenging learned stereotypes
• White Supremacy Ideology asserting white dominance

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