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Incentive Something that motivates or encourages us to make positive change. ​ < 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

Transmisogyny Discrimination that falls at the intersection of transphobia and misogyny, as experienced by trans women and trans feminine people. ​ < Back to Glossary

Micro-Aggression The verbal, nonverbal and environmental slights, snubs, insults or actions, whether intentional or unintentional, which communicate hostile, derogatory or negative messages to target persons based solely upon discriminatory belief systems. ​ < Back to Glossary

South Asian South Asian culture and heritage is typically associated with the region made up of Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Bhutan, India, The Maldives, Nepal, Pakistan and Sri Lanka. Each of these countries has been hugely impacted by its relationship with Britain, primarily through war, colonisation, and ultimately via the British Empire. ​ < Back to Glossary

Legislation Policy becomes legislation when it is brought into law. As far as laws on equality which relate to the protection of LGBTQIA+ individuals, in a lot of countries, we have come a long way in a relatively short amount of time. However, there are still more than 68 countries where homosexuality is illegal. Therefore, our communities fight for Civil Rights is a long way from over. ​ < Back to Glossary

Movement 1. A group of people working together to advance their shared political, social, or artistic ideas. 2. Moving the body. Movement is a fundamental aspect of life. It affects everything from circulation to digestion to metabolism to immunity. The body contributes far more to our lives than just physical attributes such as strength and endurance – it plays a major role in emotions, learning, and relationships. ​ < Back to Glossary

Somatics Somatics describes any practice or technique that uses the mind-body connection. ​ < Back to Glossary

Advocate Similarly to an ‘activist,’ an advocate also wants to make change and support a cause or community that matters to them. However, they work within existing systems to raise awareness about issues and injustice, selectively considering when they are vocal about a specific issue - amplifying discourse taking place in society, and bolstering the efforts of activists. ​ < Back to Glossary

School to Prison Pipeline A term used primarily in the US to describe the disproportionate amount of young people from disadvantaged communities who end up in the prison system due to harsh, punitive policies in schools and widespread educational inequality. The students most affected tend to be disabled, Black or Latine. ​ < Back to Glossary

Dogpile Dog-piling, or a dog-pile is a form of online harassment or online abuse characterized by having groups of harassers target the same victim. ​ < Back to Glossary

Courage Courage (also called bravery) is the choice and willingness to confront agony, pain, danger, uncertainty, or intimidation. It can take a lot of courage to take action as a leader, and an ally - to challenge the status quo, and actively work to dismantle systems of oppression. According to Dr. Brené Brown, "there is no courage without vulnerability.” She defines vulnerability as a feeling created through the combination of uncertainty, risk, and emotional exposure. As Brown states, “brave leaders are never silent and complicit. It is their job to excavate the unsaid.” ​ < Back to Glossary

Queer Queer is an umbrella term for all people who experience some degree of same sex attraction or do not identify with their gender assigned at birth. In the 21st century, queer became increasingly used to describe a broad spectrum of non-normative sexual and/or gender identities and politics. Critics of the use of the term include members of the LGBT community who associate the term more with its colloquial, derogatory usage, those who wish to dissociate themselves from queer radicalism, and those who see it as amorphous and trendy. Queer is sometimes expanded to include any non-normative sexuality, including cisgender queer heterosexuality, although some LGBTQ people view this use of the term as appropriation. ​ < Back to Glossary

Echochamber An environment in which a person encounters only beliefs or opinions that coincide with their own, so that their existing views are reinforced and alternative ideas are not considered. We have a duty within our communities and workplaces to ensure diversity of thought to ensure progress, and give others who are different to ourselves a seat at the table. The beauty of the Queer Community is that it intersects with so many other communities See: Debate & Courageous Communication. < Back to Glossary

Healing A painful part of the LGBTQ+ experience can be trauma associated with childhood, caregivers, community, workplace, or religion, etc... Whether the hurt comes from outside sources, or an internal conflict, the journey from awareness to integration of our identities can be a difficult gap to bridge. Healing in itself is a restorative, therapeutic, and holistic process that guides us through different stages, often taking us from a place of acceptance towards feeling 'whole'. Though it more often begins with self-inquiry (commonly through therapy), healing doesn't have to happen in isolation. Chosen family for many people act as a support network and a vehicle for community care. See: Self-Care, Community Care, Breathwork and Burnout. < Back to Glossary

Bigender Denoting or relating to a person whose sense of personal identity encompasses two genders. ​ < Back to Glossary

Justice Social justice constitutes a form of activism, based on principles of equity and inclusion that encompasses a vision of society in which the distribution of resources is equitable and all members are physically and psychologically safe and secure. Social justice involves social actors who have a sense of their own agency as well as a sense of social responsibility toward and with others. ​ < Back to Glossary

Music Music is a source of connection, inspiration and healing for many queer people, as well as a powerful medium for queer storytelling, activism and community building. ​ < Back to Glossary

Values Values are individual beliefs that motivate people to act one way or another. They serve as a guide for human behaviour - the guardrails by which we live our lives. Generally, people are predisposed to adopt the values that they are raised with. People also tend to believe that those values are “right” because they are the values of their particular culture. See: Purpose. < Back to Glossary

Central Asian Central Asian culture and heritage is typically associated with the region made up of Kazakhstan, Kyrgyz Republic, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, and Uzbekistan. ​ < Back to Glossary