Diversity and inclusion: A glossary of terms
Emma Partridge, a member of BGL Tech’s inclusion group, talks through some of the key D&I terms and what they mean:
There’s a lot of talk these days around diversity and inclusion (D&I) in the workplace, and many of the terms that get used can cause confusion if you are unfamiliar with them. Sometimes it’s daunting to ask what they all mean.
With that in mind, I’ve tried to put together a rough glossary of some of the key terms based on what I know and understand about this area. I’ve drafted the definitions myself with some light reference to online dictionaries. It’s not intended to be exhaustive,but I’ve tried to cover as much as possible while keeping this relatively easy to digest.
What exactly is D&I?
D&I refers to Diversity and Inclusion. It is the practice of creating a workplace that has a diverse workforce. Made up of employees of differing and intersecting backgrounds (we’ll get on to the intersecting part a bit later). Actions around diversity within an organisation usually focus on talent attraction — how we reach out and recruit people of diverse backgrounds, making sure that everyone gets a chance regardless of their gender identity, race, religion, age, sexual orientation, or disability.
The inclusion part of this definition is exceedingly important, as this is the practice of making sure that everyone in the wonderful diverse group of people you have recruited and brought together all feel like they belong, that they feel like they have a seat at the table and are valued (and bring value).
So what is D&I concerned with?
Ableism — A belief that there is an ideal way for a body and a mind to be, which leads to discrimination against those with physical and mental disabilities.
Ageism — Stereotyping and discrimination on the basis of age.
Allyship — Using your privilege to support and advocate for others who may be under-represented or at a disadvantage in order to create an inclusive workplace.
Asexual — People who do not experience sexual attraction. Sometimes referred to as ‘ace’.
BAME — Acronym: Black, Asian and Minority Ethnic groups. While still fairly commonly used, its usage is a point of debate. In contemporary speech, the terms ethnic minorities or POC (explained further down) are usually more often used.
Belonging — Often referred to as the end goal of D&I, to create/cultivate a culture of belonging; to make all employees feel like they belong, that they are included, and that they feel physically and psychologically safe.
Cisgender — Refers to people whose gender identity aligns with the biological sex they were assigned at birth. Often abbreviated to “cis”.
Ethnocentrism — Belief that your own ethnic group/culture is superior to others and/or measuring the actions of other people against the standards and customs of your own ethnic group.
Gender — The social and cultural construct of male and female, does not always align with biological sex.
Gender dysphoria — The distress caused by feeling uncomfortable with your gender identity, often felt by transgender and gender-queer individuals.
Gender fluid — A person who experiences their gender identity on a fluctuating spectrum. May some days feel “more male” or “more female” or neither/in-between (also known as gender-queer).
Homophobia — Prejudice against and/or dislike of homosexual (or non-heterosexual) people.
Implicit bias — A strong unconscious bias that we have against others without even knowing it (also known as unconscious bias).
Intersectionality — The way in which an individual’s differing identities combine to create advantages or disadvantages, ie the combination of a single individual’s gender, race, sexual orientation, age. A white trans woman for example would have a different experience and set of privileges (or lack thereof) to that of a black trans woman.
Intersex — A person whose anatomy does not entirely fit either of the typical biological definitions of male or female.
LGBTQ+ — Acronym: Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, Queer.
The “+” represents the multitude of gender and sexual identities that are not encompassed by the preceding letters.
Sometimes also in the form LGBTQIA+ or LGBTQ. Using the “Q+” is the most common form (and the one I find best to use as it acknowledges that LGBT does not cover everything).
Misogyny — Prejudice against, and/or dislike of women.
Neurodiverse/Neurodiversity —The recognition of neurological differences (the differences in brain function), alternative thinking styles. These can include, but are not limited to: dyslexia, any autistic spectrum disorder, ADHD (attention deficit hyperactivity disorder), developmental speech disorders, dyspraxia, Tourette’s syndrome, etc.
Non-binary — A person whose gender identity falls outside of binary (male-female) concepts of gender. Typically use they/them/theirs pronouns. Sometimes abbreviated to NB or “enby”.
POC — Acronym for People Of Colour, used to refer to a multi-racial group of non-white people with differing ethnic backgrounds.
Privilege — A particular advantage or right afforded only to a specific group of people.
Psychological safety — Feeling that you are able to express your opinions, beliefs and ideas without fear of humiliation, judgement or punishment.
Queer — An umbrella term for non-heterosexual/non-cisgendered people. Often used by those who prefer not to define themselves by a more rigid or specific defining label within the spectrum of romantic, sexual and/or gender identity.
Transgender — Someone whose personal and gender identity does not align with the sex they were assigned at birth. Often abbreviated to “trans”.
Transitioning — Refers to transgender people who are going through the steps to adopt the characteristics of the gender they identify with; includes things like change of name and legal documentation, surgeries, hormone therapies etc.
WOC — Acronym: Women Of Colour. A multi-racial group of non-white women with differing ethnic backgrounds. This is separate to “POC” as it highlights the intersectional nature of race and gender identities.
That was a just a whistle-stop tour to highlight some of the things that we are concerned with when thinking about and discussing diversity and inclusion. but the first key step in starting your D&I journey is understanding that fundamentally humans are all different, and that judging on surface value can lead to incorrect assumptions.
I’ll be bringing you more of these D&I spotlights over the coming months and looking in more depth at some of the themes mentioned above. In the meantime, look below for some recommendations for further reading (or watching) — and feel free to let me know if you have any questions or suggestions for topics to cover in an upcoming spotlight. 😊
Resources to learn more:
- If you only click on one of the links I have here, make it this one! Why gender equality benefits everyone — including men ✨
- Hive Learning have put together a more comprehensive glossary on D&I terms, so if you’d like to expand on what you’ve read above, look here. 👀
- Here is a really great article on the differences between the terms “gay” and “queer” 🌈
