Nova Glossary of Terms

Anti-Racism

Antiracism is the practice of identifying, challenging, and changing the values, structures, and behaviors that perpetuate systemic racism. It involves 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. It is not simply not being racist.¹

Asexual

A person who identifies as asexual does not experience (fully or mostly) sexual attraction or desire for other people. 

Belonging

Belonging is the feeling of physical, emotional, psychological security and support when there is a sense of acceptance, inclusion, and identity for a member of a certain group.³ 

Bias

Bias describes an inclination or preference that generally interferes with judgment and decision-making. Bias can be implicit (subconscious and indirect) or explicit (conscious and direct).¹

Bisexual

A person whose primary sexual and affectional orientation is toward people of the same and other genders. Some people may use bisexual and pansexual (generally a person who is attracted to people regardless of their gender identity or biological sex) interchangeably. 

Cisgender

 A person is cisgender if their gender identity matches the sex they were assigned at birth. The word cisgender is the antonym of transgender.⁶

Counter Narratives

Counter narratives are truths and experiences that contradict dominant narratives. They often arise from the vantage point of those who have been historically marginalized.

Disability

Disability is a physical, mental, cognitive, or developmental condition that impairs, interferes with, or limits a person’s ability to engage with certain tasks or actions. Disabilities can be non apparent, something a person is born with, or something acquired later in life. There are many different legal definitions for the term “disability.” There are also alternative ways of understanding disability put forward by members of the disability community, including the social model of disability.

Discrimination

Discrimination refers to the unequal treatment of individuals or groups due to their actual or perceived social identities, including race, gender, national origin, and others.¹ Discrimination is a behavior. It unequally allocates goods, resources, services, or access based on individual membership or perceived membership in a particular social group. It comes from conscious or unconscious prejudice, and it is reinforced by law, policy, and cultural norms that allow for differential treatment based on identity.

Diversity

Diversity is the representation of individuals in a group across different lines of Social Identity (e.g., race, gender, age, sexual orientation, socioeconomic status). Diversity encompasses different races, ethnicities, sexual orientations, etc., as well as belief systems, ideas, and values. Diversity is necessary but not sufficient to achieve equity, which demands an ongoing commitment not just to include, but to value and empower, all people.

Dominant Identity/Populations

Dominant identity/populations are members of social groups privileged by birth or acquisition who knowingly or unknowingly exploit and reap unfair advantage over members of marginalized groups. Dominant populations have more access to opportunities and resources historically. 

Dominant Narratives

Dominant narratives are stories told by the dominant culture that define reality and guide our lives. These are what most of society believes to be “true.” While dominant narratives can be positive or negative, they can often show up as stereotypes and assumptions about other groups.

Equality

Equality describes circumstances in which each individual or group is given the same or equal treatment, including the same resources, opportunities, and support. However, because different individuals or groups have different histories, needs, and circumstances, they do not have equal positions in society or starting points. Providing the same resources, supports, or treatment does not guarantee that everyone will have fair or equal outcomes. 

Equity

Equity means fairness and justice and focuses on outcomes that are most appropriate for a given group, recognizing different challenges, needs, and histories.¹ Equity considers how our different circumstances impact our position in the world. Equity goes beyond equality. It removes barriers, increases access, creates opportunities, and helps match support and resources to our unique needs.

Gay

A sexual and affectional orientation toward people of the same gender. The term can also be used to refer exclusively to men whose primary sexual and affectional orientation is toward people of the same gender (as in “gay men”).

Inclusion

Inclusion means authentically bringing traditionally excluded individuals or groups into processes, activities, and decision- and policy-making in a way that shares power.⁴ Inclusion values each individual’s or group’s heritage, contributions, and aspirations, and it guarantees full belonging to all stakeholders and participants.

Intersectionality

Intersectionality is a lens through which you can see where power comes and collides, where it interlocks and intersects. Intersectional theory asserts that people are often disadvantaged by multiple sources of oppression: their race, ethnicity, class, gender, gender identity, sexual orientation, religion, ability, and other identity markers. Intersectionality recognizes that identity markers like “woman” and “Black” do not exist independently of each other and each identity informs the other, creating a complex convergence of experience for the individual.⁵

Intersex

An umbrella term used to refer to bodies that do not fall into strict biological male or female binary categories. Experts estimate that upwards of 2% of individuals are born with intersex traits (about the same as the number of people born with red hair).

Lesbian

A woman whose enduring physical, romantic, and/or emotional attraction is to other women. Some lesbians may prefer to identify as gay or as gay women. Avoid identifying lesbians as “homosexuals.” Lesbian can be used as a noun or adjective. Ask people how they describe themselves before labeling their sexual orientation.⁶ 

Marginalized Populations

Groups and communities that experience discrimination and exclusion (social, political, and economic) because of unequal power relationships across economic, political, social, and cultural dimensions. Marginalized populations have less access to opportunities and resources throughout history.⁷ 

Microaggression

Microaggressions are the everyday verbal, nonverbal, and environmental slights, snubs, or insults, whether intentional or unintentional, which communicate hostile, derogatory, or negative messages to target persons based solely upon their marginalized group membership. In many cases, these hidden messages may invalidate the group identity or experiential reality of target persons, demean them on a personal or group level, communicate they are lesser human beings, suggest they do not belong with the majority group, threaten and intimidate, or relegate them to inferior status and treatment.⁸

Nonbinary

Nonbinary is a term used by some individuals who do not consider themselves male or female. In a society where we tend to recognize gender as a binary (man and woman), nonbinary people may consider themselves to have two or more genders, no gender, a third gender that is neither male or female, or to move among genders. 

Oppression

Oppression is when a dominant group, whether knowingly or unknowingly, disadvantages a group that is marginalized by society. This pervasive system is rooted historically and maintained through individual and institutional/systematic discrimination, personal bias, bigotry, and social prejudice, resulting in a condition of privilege for the dominant group at the expense of the marginalized group.⁹

Prejudice

Prejudice is a judgment, belief, or generalization toward an individual or group that can be formed on insufficient grounds before facts are known or in disregard of facts that contradict it. Prejudices are learned and can be unlearned. 

Privilege

Privilege refers to unearned social power, advantage, or rights afforded by the formal and informal institutions of society to all members of a dominant group. Examples include white privilege and male privilege. Those who hold privilege often aren’t aware of it because (1) they are taught not to see it and (2) hierarchies of privilege exist within the same group (for example, a rich white person has more power and advantage than a poor white person). Nonetheless, privilege puts people who have it at an advantage over those who do not.

Queer

Queer is an umbrella term used by people who do not identify as straight (heterosexual) and/or cisgender. Historically used as a slur, this is a term that has been reclaimed by some individuals in the LGBTQIA+ community in a self-affirming way, though it can be considered offensive if used by individuals outside the LGBTQIA+ community. It may be used to refer to all LGBTQIA+ identities at once (“queer rights”) or may be used by some individuals to describe themselves without specifically enumerating queer identities.

Race

Race is a social construct used to categorize humans into groups, called races or racial groups, based on combinations of shared physical traits such as skin color, hair texture, nose shape, eye shape, or head shape. Although most scientists agree that such groupings lack biological meaning, racial groups continue to have a strong influence over contemporary social relations. Historically in the United States, race has frequently been used to concentrate power with white people and legitimize dominance over non-white people.

Racism

Racism involves one group having the power to carry out systematic discrimination through policies and practices and by shaping the cultural beliefs and values that support those racist policies and practices. 

• Racism can be individual and interpersonal. This refers to a person’s own racist assumptions, beliefs, or behaviors. For example, when someone uses a racist slur, this is individual racism, and it’s also part of a racist system. 
• Racism can be internalized. This is the conscious or subconscious acceptance of the majority’s racist views by marginalized groups. Because racism is so pervasive in our systems and society, people from marginalized racial groups can internalize these views. 
• Racism can be institutionalized. This refers to the historical, cultural, and interpersonal processes, policies, and dynamics that routinely advantage White people while creating adverse outcomes for people of color. For example, in U.S. businesses, we have historically valued “correct” English and considered other dialects and ways of speaking to be inferior. This advantages White, middle-class, U.S.-born people and disadvantages anyone who did not grow up speaking this way.²

Sex

Sex is the biological classification of a person as male or female based on internal and external reproductive organs, chromosomes, and hormones.

Sexual Orientation, Gender Identity and Expression (SOGIE) 

• Sexual Orientation - Refers to a person’s emotional, romantic, or sexual attraction to other people.⁶  
• Gender Identity - A person’s internal feeling about their gender – whether they feel like a man, woman, both, or neither. This can be different from the sex a person was assigned at birth.⁶  
• Gender Expression - Refers to how an individual expresses or presents themselves in the world. 

Social Identity

Social identity refers to membership in one of the groups (either dominant or marginalized) that experience power and privilege differently in society based on shared characteristics (whether real or perceived). In the United States, these groups are most often defined by gender, ability, age, race, ethnicity, sex, sexual orientation, social class, and religion.

Transgender

An adjective used most often as an umbrella term and frequently abbreviated to “trans.” Identifying as transgender, or trans, means that one’s internal knowledge of gender is different from conventional or cultural expectations based on the sex that person was assigned at birth.

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References

 

^{1. “Race Reporting Guide.” Race Forward, June 2015. https://www.raceforward.org/sites/default/files/Race%20Reporting%20Guide%20by%20Race%20Forward_V1.1.pdf.}

^{2. Kendi, Ibram X. How to Be an Antiracist. New York, NY: Random House, 2019.}

^{3. “Sense of Belonging.” Cornell University Diversity and Inclusion, n.d. https://diversity.cornell.edu/belonging/sense-belonging.}

^{4. University of Pittsburgh Office for Diversity, Equity and Inclusion. https://www.diversity.pitt.edu/education/diversity-equity-and-inclusion-glossary}  

^{5. “Kimberlé Crenshaw on Intersectionality, More than Two Decades Later.” June 8, 2017. https://www.law.columbia.edu/news/archive/kimberle-crenshaw-intersectionality-more-two-decades-later.}

^{6. “GLAAD Media Reference Guide, 11th ed. (2023) https://glaad.org/reference/}

^{7. “Marginalized Populations.” Glossary of Essential Health Equity Terms. National Collaborating Centre for Determinants of Health, n.d. https://nccdh.ca/glossary/entry/marginalized-populations}

^{8. Wing Sue, Derald. “Microaggressions: More Than Just Race.” Web log. Psychology Today (blog), November 17, 2010. https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/microaggressions-in-everyday-life/201011/microaggressions-more-just-race.}

^{9. Adams, Maurianne, Anne Lee Bell, and Pat Griffin. Teaching for Diversity and Social Justice: A Sourcebook. New York, NY: Routledge, 1997.}