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Community A community is typically a social unit with commonality - such as place, religion, values, or identity. Communities may exist physically, or in virtual spaces through digital communication platforms. People tend to look to their communities for three things: a sense of security, human connections and a feeling of belonging. When we refer to the LGBTQ+ community we're generally referring to a loosely defined grouping of lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and other queer individuals united by a common culture and social movements. There really is no single LGBTQ+ community, rather a very diverse group population of genders and sexualities that come from all racial, ethnic, cultural, socioeconomic, and geographic backgrounds. What we do see however are smaller communities that exist and emerge under the LGBTQ+ umbrella, where individuals more easily connect with others who share the same values, interests or mission. < Back to Glossary

Surgery (See Bottom Surgery, Top Surgery, HRT, Gender Dysphoria and Bodily Autonomy) See: Bottom Surgery, Top Surgery, HRT, Gender Dysphoria and Bodily Autonomy. < Back to Glossary

Dox The act of publicly providing personally identifiable information about an individual or organization, usually via the Internet. An example could be outing someone online. < Back to Glossary

White Privilege White privilege, or white skin privilege, is the societal privilege that benefits white people over non-white people in some societies, particularly if they are otherwise under the same social, political, or economic circumstances. < Back to Glossary

Privilege In social studies, privilege is defined as the advantages and benefits that individuals receive because of social groups they are perceived to be a part of. In DEI we often describe Privilege as barriers that someone hasn't had to face, simply based on their upbringing, background or identities that they hold - ie race, gender, sexual orientation, ability, immigration status, education, religion, wealth, and class, among many other characteristics. < Back to Glossary

BIPOC Stands for Black, Indigenous, and people of colour. Pronounced “bye-pock,” this is a term specific to the United States, intended to centre the experiences of Black and Indigenous groups and demonstrate solidarity between communities of colour. < Back to Glossary

Nordic Model The Nordic model is an approach to laws regarding sex work, where buying sex work is illegal but selling it is not. While this model appears to protect sex workers, the reality is that it increases stigmatisation and violence towards them. See: Sex Work. < Back to Glossary

Native Hawaiians The culture and heritage Native Hawaiians encompasses social behaviours, institutions, and norms practised by the original residents of the Hawaiian islands, including their knowledge, beliefs, arts, laws, customs, capabilities, and habits. Humans are estimated to have first inhabited the archipelago between 124 and 1120 AD when it was settled by Polynesians who voyaged to and settled there. (See: Polynesian and Pacific Islanders) < Back to Glossary

Assimilation Assimilation is the process in which a minority group or culture comes to resemble a society's majority group or assume the values, behaviours, and beliefs of another group whether fully or partially. An example of assimilation in that Queer People could be seen as changing their behaviour depending on who they're facing. This is often at the expense of one's own culture and identity. For queer folks, assimilation can mean subsuming or erasing their queer or racialized identity to fit into heteronormative society. It can often look like internalised homophobia, racism, or transphobia, which keeps us closed in and conforming to societal norms at the expense of our own authentic selves. Here are examples of assimilation: - Avoiding holding hands with a partner in public to avoid negative reactions from others. - Changing ones appearance or behaviour to conform to gender norms. - Choosing not to come out to one's family and friends for fear of rejection. - Pretending to only have relationships with the opposite sex to avoid discrimination. - Avoiding talking about ones sexuality or gender identity at work to avoid judgement or discrimination. - Suppressing aspects of their cultural identity to avoid discrimination or rejection from others. See: Code-switching. < Back to Glossary

Pride & Beyond, a podcast by WE CREATE SPACE. A podcast series sharing valuable insights on a variety of intersectional topics that focus on the Queer Community and the experiences of Queer Leaders in the workplace.

Authenticity Authenticity is the acknowledgment, and eventual integration of all the aspects that make us who we are. It informs our ability to choose what feels right at any given moment. < Back to Glossary

Carceral Feminism A critical term for strains of feminism which advocate for increased prison sentences. Carceral feminism views imprisonment as a useful tool for achieving feminist aims without considering wider issues of the prison industrial complex. < Back to Glossary

Civil Rights / Civil Rights Movement 1. Civil and political rights are a class of rights that protect individuals' freedom from infringement by governments, social organizations, and private individuals. They ensure one's entitlement to participate in the civil and political life of society and the state without discrimination or repression. 2. The civil rights movement was a political movement and campaign from 1954 to 1968 in the United States to abolish institutional racial segregation, discrimination, and disenfranchisement throughout the United States. < Back to Glossary

Accountability The acceptance of responsibility for one's own actions. It implies a willingness to be transparent, allowing others to observe and evaluate one's performance. < Back to Glossary

Flag The original rainbow Pride flag was created in 1978 in San Francisco by Gilbert Baker, Lynn Segerblom, James McNamara and other activists. Since then the flag has undergone numerous revisions and inspired countless more queer flags for specific identity groups. The Progress Pride flag, designed by Daniel Quasar in 2018 and updated by Valentino Vecchietti in 2021 to be intersex inclusive, has become increasingly popular as a symbol that embraces intersectionality and solidarity within the LGBTQ+ community. < Back to Glossary

Energy "1. The power required to do tasks, whether it be physical, mental or emotional. Our energy levels vary day to day and certain tasks may be more or less taxing for you than they are for other people. People with disabilities often have to strategise about where they will distribute their energy. (See: Disability & Spoons Theory & Accessibility) 2. The energy or vibe we bring to a situation can often be felt by those around us. Be aware of this and always treat people with the respect and kindness you would like to be treated with." < Back to Glossary

Disparate Impact Refers to practices in employment, housing, and other areas that adversely affect one group of people of a protected characteristic more than another, even though rules applied by employers or landlords are formally neutral. For example, this can disproportionately effect the Queer Community, but even more so those who are are part of multiple marginalised groups. < Back to Glossary

Hispanic People are normally referred to as Hispanic if they are Spanish, of Spanish heritage or come from a country that was previously colonised by Spain. This does not include Brazil, which is a former colony of Portugal, where the native language is Portuguese. A hispanic person can be any race or colour. (See: Latin(a/o) and Latinx) < Back to Glossary

Demisexuality A sexual orientation in which an individual does not experience primary sexual attraction – the type of attraction that is based on immediately observable characteristics such as appearance or smell and is experienced immediately after a first encounter. They only experience secondary sexual attraction – the type of attraction that happens after knowing someone for a while. The amount of time that a demisexual individual needs to know another person before developing sexual attraction towards them varies from person to person. < Back to Glossary

Monolithic 1. An organisation, system or society that is referred to as monolithic is resistant to change and often applies a single set of customs, norms, and values. 2. When referring to a social group as monolithic, one assumes this group of people are all the same, or having the same experience. However, this assumption can be harmful and predominantly inaccurate, as it doesn't account for intersectional identities and individual experiences. < Back to Glossary