DIVERSITY TERMS STARTING WITH THE LETTER "A" AAPI -- AAPI is an acronym for Asian Americans & Pacific Islanders. Other similar acronyms are APA which means Asian-Pacific American and API which means Asian-Pacific Islander. These acronyms replace a derogatory term, "Oriental" in the 1960s.Chile -- A phonetic way of spelling "child" that's often used in African American Vernacular English (AAVE) and in southern parts of the United States. Chile was recently added to Dictionary.com. Cisgender (CIS) -- Cisgender means a person whose gender identity matches the sex they were assigned at birth. The abbreviation for Cisgeneder is CIS. Cissexual -- Cissexual is a term that refers to a person who identifies with the same biological sex that they were assigned at birth. Classism -- Classism is a term that means to have prejudicial thoughts or to discriminate against a person or group based on differences in socioeconomic status and income level. Code-Switching -- Code-switching means when a person changes the way they express themselves culturally and linguistically based on different parts of their identity and how they are represented in the group they're with. Color Blind(ness) -- Color Blind(ness) or being Color Blind means treating people as equally as possible without regard to race, culture, or ethnicity. Collusion -- Collusion is when a person acts to perpetuate oppression or prevent people from working to eliminate oppression. Colonization -- Colonization refers to forms of invasion, dispossession, or controlling an underrepresented group. Color Brave -- Color Brave is when a person has conversations about race that can help people better understand each other's perspectives and experiences to improve inclusiveness in future generations. Coming Out -- Coming Out is a phrase used to define the process of making others aware of one's sexual orientation, and is also known as Coming Out of the Closet. Communities of Color -- Communities of Color is used in the United States to describe groups of people who are not identified as White, with emphasis on common experiences of racism. Corporate Social Responsibility -- Corporate Social Responsibility means to practice positive corporate citizenship to make a positive impact on communities, not just focusing on maximizing profits. Covert Racism -- Covert Racism is an indirect behavior used to express racist attitudes or ideas in hidden or subtle forms. Critical Race Theory -- A theory based on how historical laws and social structures impact present-day racial inequality. Cross-Dresser -- Cross-Dresser refers to people who wear clothing that is traditionally associated with a different gender than the one they identify with. Cultural Appropriation -- Cultural Appropriation means the act of stealing cultural elements for a person's own use or profit. Cultural Identity -- Cultural Identity means the identity or feeling of belonging to a group based on nationality, ethnicity, religion, social class, generation, locality, or other types of social groups that have their own distinct culture. Culture -- Culture is defined as a social system of customs that are developed by a group of people to ensure its survival and adaptation. Culture Add -- Culture Add refers to people who value company culture and standards, as well as bringing an aspect of diversity that positively contributes to the organization. Culture Fit -- Culture Fit refers to a person's attitudes, values, behaviors, and beliefs being in line with the values and culture of an organization. Culture Add, defined above, is becoming a preferred alternative to Culture Fit. DIVERSITY TERMS STARTING WITH D D&I -- D&I stands for "diversity and inclusion" and is often a catch-all for diversity initiatives.Note: The NASDAQ stock exchange (which as new roles requiring its members to be diverse) says that an "underrepresented minority" means any individual who self-identifies as one or more of the following: Black or African American, Hispanic or Latinx, Asian, Native American or Alaskan Native, Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander, or two or more races or ethnicities. LGBTQ+ means any individual who self-identifies as any of the following: lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, or a member of the queer community. Misgender -- To refer to someone using a word (especially a pronoun or form of address) that does not correctly reflect the gender with which they identify. Mixed Race -- What do you call a person of Mixed Race? Mixed Race means a person who has parents that belong to different racial or ethnic groups. (MLM) Men-Loving-Men -- An umbrella term for gay, bisexual and pansexual men. Movement Building -- Movement Building refers to an effort to address systemic problems or injustices while promoting alternative solutions or visions. MTF -- MTF is an acronym for the Male-to-Female Spectrum. MTF is used to describe people who are assigned the male gender at birth but identifies or express their gender as a female all or part of the time. Multicultural -- Multicultural means pertaining to more than one culture. Multicultural Competency -- Multicultural Competency refers to the process of learning about other cultures and becoming allies with people from different backgrounds. Multiethnic -- Multiethnic describes a person who comes from more than one ethnicity. Multi-ethnic -- A commonly used term in the UK that means consisting of, or relating to various different races. Multiracial -- Multiracial describes a person who comes from more than one race. DIVERSITY TERMS STARTING WITH N Native American -- Native American is a broad term that refers to people of North and South America but is generally used to describe the indigenous people from the United States. Native American is often used interchangeably with American Indian, although many Native Americans find the word "Indian" offensive and prefer to identify themselves by their specific tribe.Affirming Name -- a "gender-affirming" name that someone wants to be known by. Similar to "preferred name." Affirming Pronouns -- pronouns that match a person's gender identity (e.g., he, she, they). African American -- The term African American refers to people in the United States who have ethnic origins to Africa. Agender -- Agender means a person who does not identify themselves as having a particular gender. Alaska Native -- Alaska Native is a term for the indigenous people of Alaska. Alaska Natives consist of over 200 federally recognized tribes who speak 20 different languages. Ally -- Ally is a term for people who advocate for individuals from underrepresented or marginalized groups in a society. Allyship -- Allyship is the process in which people with privilege and power work to develop empathy towards to advance the interests of an oppressed or marginalized outgroup. Allyship is part of the anti-oppression or anti-racist conversation, which puts into use social justice theories and ideals. The goal of allyship is to create a culture in which the marginalized group feels supported. Amplification -- Amplification is a term used for the techniques a person uses to give a member of a less dominant group more credit by repeating their message. Androgyne -- Androgyne is a term for a person identifying or expressing gender outside of the gender binary. Anglo -- Anglo or Anglo-Saxon means to be related to the descendants of Germanic people who reigned in Britain until the Norman conquest in 1066. Anglo often refers to white English-speaking persons of European descent in England or North America, not of Hispanic or French origin. Antegender -- The time before one's gender is decided. For example, author and sociologist Kyl Myers gave birth to her gender-neutral "theyby" and it wasn't until "theyby" (later renamed Zoomer) was 5 years old that Myers announced that Zoomer preferred he/his pronouns.In-Group Bias -- In-Group Bias is when people respond more positively to people from their "in-groups" than they do for people from "out-groups". Institutional Racism -- Institutional Racism means that institutional practices and policies create different outcomes for different racial groups. These policies may not specifically target any racial group, but their effect creates advantages for white people and oppression or disadvantages for people of color. Often used interchangeably with Structural Racism. Integration -- Integration is when an individual maintains their own cultural identity while also becoming a participant in a host culture. Intersectionality -- Intersectionality means to intertwine social identities like gender, race, ethnicity, social class, religion, sexual orientation, or gender identity which causes unique opportunities, barriers, experiences, or social inequality. Intersex -- Intersex means to be born with a reproductive or sexual anatomy that doesn't fit the boxes of male or female. Intersex often involves a discrepancy between the external and internal genitals (the testes and ovaries). The older term for Intersex is hermaphroditism Inuit -- Inuit is a term used to describe a member of an indigenous group from northern Canada and parts of Greenland and Alaska. Irish Traveller -- A recognized ethnic group in the UK under the Race Relations Act. DIVERSITY TERMS STARTING WITH K Karen -- Karen is a common stereotype of white women who use privilege to demand something out of the scope of what is necessary. As of 2020, the term was increasingly being used as a general-purpose term of disapproval for middle-aged white women" DIVERSITY TERMS STARTING WITH L Latino -- Latino is a term used to describe people who are from or descended from people from Latin America.Sometimes called "gender pronouns." DIVERSITY TERMS STARTING WITH Q QPOC -- What is QPOC? QPOC is an acronym for Queer People of Color used in the UK and Canada. Another similar acronym is QTIPOC which stands for Queer, Transgender, and Intersex People of Color. Queer -- What does it mean to be queer? The term Queer is an umbrella term that allows non-heterosexual people to identify their sexual orientation without stating who they are attracted to. The term Queer includes gay men, lesbians, bisexuals, and transgendered people. Questioning -- A person who might be unsure of their sexuality or gender and is exploring preferred labels. If a person goes between labels, comes out and then changes their mind, or experiments safely, this is natural and should be supported. DIVERSITY TERMS STARTING WITH R Race -- What does race mean? Race is a social term that is used to divide people into distinct groups based on characteristics like: physical appearance (mainly skin color) cultural affliction cultural history ethnic classification social, economic, and political needs When was the term race first used? Racism -- Racism is the oppression of people of color based on a socially constructed racial hierarchy that gives privilege to white people. Racial and Ethnic Identity -- Racial and Ethnic Identity refers to a person's experience of being a member of an ethnic and racial group. Racial and Ethnic Identity is based on what a person chooses to describe themselves as based on the following: biological heritage physical appearance cultural affiliation early socialization personal experience Racial Justice -- Racial Justice means to reinforce policies, practices, actions, and attitudes that produce equal treatment and opportunities for all groups of people. Reclaimed Language -- Reclaimed Language is language that has traditionally been used to degrade certain groups, but members of the community have reclaimed and used as their own. For example, "queer" or "queen".Platinum Rule -- "The Platinum Rule" is an inclusionary take on the "Golden Rule" (instruting us to treat others how they want to be treated). The Platinum Rules urges people to ignore personal biases and treat others by how they feel they deserve to be treated). POC -- POC stands for People of Color. It is commonly used as an acronym in the United States to describe people who are not white. Polyamory -- The consensual practice of intimate relationships with multiple partners. All parties may be involved with each other or only with a specific person. Polygender -- a person with several gender identities. Power -- Power (in the context of diversity) is considered to be unequally distributed globally due to the following things: wealth whiteness citizenship patriarchy heterosexism education Preferred Name -- an outdated term referring to a name that someone uses instead of their legal name. Prejudice -- Prejudice means to pre-judge or have a negative attitude towards one type of person or group because of stereotypes or generalizations. Privilege -- Privilege (in the context of diversity) means an unearned social power for members of a dominant group of society including benefits, entitlements, or a set of advantages in society. Pronouns -- Pronouns (in the context of diversity) are consciously chosen phrases that people use to represent their gender identity. There are certain pronouns to avoid like "he" or "she", especially during the hiring process or in the workplace.DIVERSITY TERMS STARTING WITH T TERFs -- "trans-exclusionary radical feminists", TERFs constitute "a minority of a minority of feminists," says Grace Lavery, a UC Berkeley literature professor and writer. Third Gender -- Third Gender refers to a category of people who do not identify as male or female, but rather as neither, both, or a combination of male and female genders. Tokenism -- Tokenism is a practice of including one or a few members of an underrepresented group in a team or company. Tourette's Syndrome -- What is Tourettes syndrome? Tourette's Syndrome is a condition that normally starts in childhood. It affects the brain and nerves, causing people to have uncontrollable motor or vocal tics. Trans*/Trans+ -- An umbrella term for a person whose gender identity is not the same as their assigned sex. Avoid the outdated phrases: transvestite and transsexual. Transexual -- a medical term used to refer to people who lived as their gender identity. It is not widely accepted by transgender people. Transfeminine -- Transfeminine describes a person who identifies as "trans" but identifies their gender expression as feminine.DIVERSITY TERMS STARTING WITH B BAME -- BAME meaning "Black, Asian and Minority Ethnic" is an acronym used mostly in the United Kingdom to identify Black and Asian people. Belonging -- Belonging is a term used to define the experience of being accepted and included by those around you. Belonging means to have a sense of social connection and identification with others. Benevolent Sexism -- A subtle form of sexism that comes from a good place and includes positive attitudes of gender, but can be damaging to people (like women) and to gender equality. Usually the language or actions are subtle, unconscious, and habitual. Second, people often comment on women's appearance, even well-intentioned, but can undermine an individual's feelings of being taken seriously. Another is when people do acknowledge women, but only when they fit the norms (e.g., nurturing, compassionate, intuitive, empathetic), even when they have other wonderful qualities that are more often valued in some settings (e.g., results-oriented, strategic, assertive, professional)."Asexual -- An "asexual person' is used to describe people who do not experience sexual attraction. Asian-American -- Asian-American is a term that means to have origins in Asia or the Indian subcontinent. Asian-American includes people who live in the United States and indicate their race as: Asian Indian Chinese Filipino Korean Japanese Vietnamese Other Asian Aspergers Syndrome -- What is Aspergers syndrome? Asperger's Syndrome is a condition on the autism spectrum that affects how people communicate and interact with others. People with Asperger's can function highly and may not have learning disabilities associated with other types of autism. Assimilation -- Assimilation is a term for the concept where an individual, family, or group gives up certain aspects of their culture to adapt to the beliefs, language, patterns, and behaviors of a new host country. Autism -- What is autism? Autism is a developmental disability that appears during early childhood. Autism can have an impact on a person's ability to self-regulate, communicate, socialize, and form relationships. There are different types of autism, which is why some people refer to people as being "on the autism spectrum".Some companies and sports teams are even changing their names or mascots, because of racial bias related to the word "Indian". NB -- NB is an acronym for nonbinary (people who do not identify their gender as male or female). The abbreviation Enby is sometimes used as an alternative to NB. Neopronoun (aka neo-pronoun, noun-self pronoun and neolanguage) -- a form of gender-neutral third-person pronoun used in place of he, she, it and they. It is used by some non-binary people. Examples: xe/xem/xyr, ze/hir/hirs, and ey/em/eir. Neurodivergent (ND) -- Neurodivergent, sometimes known as ND, means having a brain that works in a way that diverges significantly from the dominant societal standards of "normal."Finna -- A phonetic way of saying "fixing to" or "about to do something" that's often used in African American Vernacular English (AAVE) and in southern parts of the United States. Finna was recently added to Dictionary.com. First Nations -- First Nations is a term used to describe indigenous people from Canada who are not Inuit or Metis. Many First Nations people prefer to define or identify themselves by their specific tribal affiliations. Folx -- Folx is an umbrella term for people with non-normative sexual orientation or identity. FTM -- FTM is an acronym for the Female-to-Male Spectrum. FTM is used by people who are assigned female at birth but identify with or express their gender as a male part of the time. DIVERSITY TERMS STARTING WITH G Gay -- Gay is an umbrella term used to refer to people who experience a same-sex or same-gender attraction. Gay is also an identity term used to describe a male-identified person who is attracted to other male-identified people in a romantic, sexual, and/or emotional sense. Gender -- Gender is a term used to describe socially constructed roles, behaviors, activities, and attributes that society considers "appropriate" for men and women.DIVERSITY TERMS STARTING WITH H HBCU -- HBCU is an acronym that stands for "Historically Black Colleges and Universities". HBCUs were established, post-American Civil War, in the United States to primarily serve the Black community, although they allow admission to students of all races. Hepeating -- Hepeating is when a man repeats a woman's comments to takes them as his own to gain credit or praise for the idea. Heteroflexible -- A person who identifies as straight but may have occasional homosexual activity. This is not bisexuality because a straight person doesn't experience same-sex attraction. Heteronormativity -- Heteromnormativity is the assumption that heterosexuality is natural, ideal, or superior to other sexual preferences. Examples of Heteronormativity include: the lack of same-sex couples in media or advertising laws against same-sex marriage Heterosexism -- Heterosexism is a term used to describe the belief that heterosexuality is superior or "normal" compared to other forms of sexuality or sexual orientation.The "+" signifies a number of other identities and is used to keep the abbreviation brief when written out. Some write out the full abbreviation which is LGBTTTQQIAA. DIVERSITY TERMS STARTING WITH M Mansplain -- Mansplain is a word used to describe when are men explaining something to a person in a condescending or patronizing manner, typically a woman. Marginalization -- Marginalization means to exclude, ignore, or relegate a group of people to an unimportant or powerless position in society. Melting Pot -- Melting Pot is a metaphor people use to describe a society where various types of people blend together as one. Metis -- Metis is a French word that refers to someone with mixed ancestry. Metis is a common term referring to a multiancestral indigenous group whose homeland is in Canada and parts of the United States between the Great Lakes region and the Rocky Mountains. Metrosexual -- Metrosexual means refers to a well-groomed style for non-queer men that is a mix of the words "heterosexual" and "metropolitan".Non-White -- Using this phrase in the UK is not recommended according to the GOV.UK Writing About Ethnicity Style Guide "because defining groups in relation to the White majority was not well received in user research." DIVERSITY TERMS STARTING WITH O On the Spectrum -- On the spectrum refers to someone who is on the Autism spectrum or with ASD (Autism Spectrum Disorder). Oppositional Sexism -- Oppositional Sexism is the belief that femininity and masculinity are rigid and exclusive categories. Oppression -- Oppression refers to systemic and institutional abuse of power by a dominant or privileged group at the expense of targeted, less privileged groups. Outgroup Bias -- Outgroup Bias is when people view people from outside their "group" as less similar and have negative bias against them.Arab -- Arab refers to people who 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.(See GOV.UK's style guide on the use of BME, BAME, and people of colour) DIVERSITY TERMS STARTING WITH C Caren Act -- "CAREN Act" (Caution Against Racially Exploitative Non-Emergencies). The ordinance is similar to the statewide AB 1550 bill introduced by California Assemblyman Rob Bonta, making it unlawful and accountable for a caller to "fabricate false racially-biased emergency reports.".DIVERSITY TERMS STARTING WITH P Pacific Islander -- Pacific Islander, or Pasifika, is a term that refers to the indigenous inhabitants of the Pacific Islands, specifically people with origins whose origins from the following sub-regions of Oceania: Polynesia Melanesia Micronesia Pansexual -- Pansexual is a term used to describe a person who has an attraction to a person regardless of where they fall on the gender or sexuality spectrum.Transmasculine -- Transmasculine means a person who identifies as "trans" but identifies their gender expression as masculine. Transition/Transitioning -- Transition, in terms of diversity, is a process that people go through to change their physical appearance or gender expression through surgery or using hormones to align with their gender identity. Transphobia -- Transphobia (or transphobic) means fear, hatred, or discrimination towards people who identify as Transgender. Transvestite -- A person who dresses as the binary opposite gender expression. What is the politically correct term for a transvestite? The more politically correct term is "Cross-dresser".Diversity -- Diversity is defined as individual differences between groups based on such things as: abilities age disability learning styles life experiences neurodiversity race/ethnicity class gender sexual orientation country of origin cultural, political or religious affiliation any other difference Which term is a synonym for diversity?Neurodiversity has since broadened to include people with: Autism Dyslexia ADHD (Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Order) Dyscalculia DSD (Dyspraxia) Dysgraphia Tourette Syndrome and other neurological differences What does it mean to be on the spectrum?Wimmin -- Wimmin is a nonstandard spelling of the word "women" used by feminists in an effort to avoid the word ending "-men". (WLW) Women-Loving-Women: An umbrella term for lesbians, bisexual and pansexual women. Womxn -- Womxn is a term sometimes used to replace the word women in an attempt to get away from patriarchal language. Womxn is also meant to be inclusive of trans women, and some non-binary people, but it not always accepted. Some say the word has evolved over time and is divisive, and "women" is more inclusive in the LGBTQ+ community.Examples of accessibility include self-opening doors, elevators for multiple levels, raised lettering on signs and entry ramps Accountability -- Accountability refers to ways individuals and communities hold themselves to their goals and actions, while acknowledging the values and groups to which they are responsible.Equity -- The term "equity" (in the context of diversity) refers to proportional representation (by race, class, gender, etc.) in employment opportunities. The company Slack, for example, uses "Equity" in some job titles (e.g. Senior Technical Recruiter, Diversity Equity Inclusion Lead).Ethnicity -- Ethnicity, or Ethnic Group, is a way to divide people into smaller social groups based on characteristics like: cultural heritage values behavioral patterns language political and economic interests ancestral geographical base ESL -- ESL is an acronym for English as a Second Language.Other accepted terms are "people from a Black Caribbean background" and "Black people". Black Lives Matter -- Black Lives Matter is a movement that addresses systemic racism and violence against African Americans and other groups with ties to Black culture. Block list -- An inclusive replacement phrase in the U.S. and the UK for "blacklist" or "black list".The GEI index measures performance and disclosure in: female leadership & talent pipeline equal pay & gender pay parity inclusive culture sexual harassment policies pro-women brand BME -- What is BME?LGBT -- Abbreviation for lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (often used to encompass sexual preference and gender identities that do not correspond to heterosexual norms).Microaggression -- Microaggression is a term that describes daily behavior (verbal or nonverbal) that communicates hostile or negative insults towards a group, either intentionally or unintentionally, particularly culturally marginalized groups.Examples of sexual orientation include: gay lesbian bisexual heterosexual asexual pansexual queer "Sexual orientation" is considered more politically correct thatn "sexual preference" since "preference" implies a conscious choice.based on gender.