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Hormones Hormone therapy or hormonal therapy is the use of hormones in medical treatment. Gender-affirming hormones are used to alter someone's physical appearance to more closely align their physical body with their gender identity. Testosterone therapy is used to suppress female secondary sex characteristics and masculinize transgender men. Feminizing hormone therapy typically is used by transgender women and nonbinary people to produce physical changes in the body that are caused by female hormones during puberty. Those changes are called secondary sex characteristics. ​ < Back to Glossary

Polyamory The practice of engaging in multiple romantic or sexual relationships, with the consent of all the people involved. ​ < Back to Glossary

Courageous Communication Courageous communication is the cornerstone of exceptional leadership. In tough times, it’s leaders who are brave, candid and innovative who steer their company or community to success. Courageous communication can mean having difficult conversations, challenging leadership, or making those around us aware of inappropriate or offensive behaviour; conveying how we truly feel. Courageous communication may also be even sharing part of your story that you've kept hidden until now. See: Coming Out, Calling In & Calling Out. < Back to Glossary

Patriarchy A system of society or government in which men hold the power. Patriarchy is practiced systemically in the ways and methods through which power is distributed in society (jobs and positions of power given to men in government, policy, criminal justice, etc.) while also influencing how we interact with one another interpersonally (gender expectations, sexual dynamics, space-taking, etc.). Patriarchal structures facilitate male privilege. ​ < Back to Glossary

Code-switch Code-switching refers to the ways in which a member of an underrepresented group (consciously or unconsciously) adjusts their language, syntax, grammatical structure, behaviour, and appearance to fit into the dominant culture. (Also see Masking) ​ < Back to Glossary

Philanthropy The desire to promote the welfare of others, expressed especially by the generous donation of money to good causes. See: Altruism. < Back to Glossary

Holding Space “Holding space” means being physically, mentally, and emotionally present for someone, supporting them as they feel their feelings. Important aspects of holding space are active listening and withholding judgment while remaining calm and present. See: Compassion, Empathy, Empathetic Witness and Healing. < Back to Glossary

Class Class is something that is impossible to ignore in wider society. However, class is rarely something that we speak about in relation to the Queer Community. We all know though, that class can have a profound impact on an individual's life experiences and the level of opportunities that are afforded to them. If a Queer person comes from a lower socio-economic ground, they may face additional layers of disadvantage and discrimination. It is our duty in the Queer Community and as allies to help lift each other up, and use our positions of privilege to ensure that we can help others in the community, and society more widely. ​ < Back to Glossary

Asylum Seeker A person who leaves their country of birth or residence, enters another country and seeks protection by the state in this other country. An asylum seeker is an immigrant who has been forcibly displaced and might have fled their home country because of war or other factors harming them or their family. ​ < Back to Glossary

East Asian East Asian culture and heritage is typically associated with the region made up of China, Hong Kong, Japan, Macau, Mongolia, North Korea, South Korea, and Taiwan. ​ < Back to Glossary

Deadnaming Intentionally calling someone by their assigned at birth name after they have publicly changed their name. This term is often associated with trans people who have changed their name as part of their transition. ​ < Back to Glossary

Gender Identity Each person’s internal and individual experience of gender. It is a person’s sense of being a woman, a man, both, neither, or anywhere along the gender spectrum. Gender identity can correlate with a person’s assigned sex at birth (cisgender), or differ from it (as is the case with transgender people). Someone’s gender identity can change over time, as people grow and learn more about themselves. ​ < Back to Glossary

Collaboration Social collaboration brings people and stakeholders together to achieve a common goal. Like in organisations, social collaboration becomes the driving force behind a community movement or initiative for change. ​ < Back to Glossary

Psychological Safety Psychological safety is the ability to share one’s thoughts and feelings without risk of damaging one’s reputation or standing. At work it refers to employees believing that they can take risks without being shamed by other team members. When people on a team possess psychological safety, they feel able to ask for help, admit mistakes, raise concerns, suggest ideas, and challenge ways of working and the ideas of others on the team, including the ideas of those in authority. Via this honesty and openness, risks are reduced, new ideas are generated, the team is able to execute on those ideas and everyone feels included. Building psychological safety not only improves organisational outcomes, but it’s the right thing to do. See: Affirmative Action, Brave Spaces and Courageous Communication. < Back to Glossary

Windrush Generation The "Windrush generation" refers to Caribbean migrants who came to the UK between 1948 and 1971 as a result of the British Nationality Act giving members of British colonies the right to live and work in Britain. The name "Windrush" comes from the HMT Empire Windrush, which was the first of the ships carrying these migrants to dock in the UK. The Windrush generation had a significant social and cultural impact on British society, filling the post-war labour shortage and enriching the UK with Caribbean culture, music and art. The 1971 Immigration Act should have allowed the Windrush generation permanent residency in the UK but in 2018 it was revealed that the UK Government had destroyed landing cards belonging to Windrush migrants, leaving many unable to prove they were in the country legally and thus at risk of deportation. This has come to be known as "The Windrush Scandal". ​ < Back to Glossary

Metamour In polyamorous relationships, your metamour is someone you are not in a relationship with but one of your partners is in a relationship with. ​ < Back to Glossary

Mindfulness Mindfulness is the practice of purposely bringing one's attention to the present-moment experience without evaluation, a skill one develops through meditation or other training. ​ < Back to Glossary

Lived Experience Personal knowledge about the world gained through direct, first-hand involvement in everyday events rather than through representations constructed by other people. Lived experience is an invaluable resource, both in helping us navigate our lives, but also as a tool for educating others. ​ < Back to Glossary

Integration A fundamental process which has been outlined by various psychologists to explain how one comes to integrate a sexual or gender identity. The process allows for psychological assessment, adjustment and integration. It's worth noting that this is not a one-off process, but one of constant evaluation and application. See: Identity < Back to Glossary

Unity Unity refers to what connects us rather that what makes us different. There is power in unity. We can only accomplish so much on our own, but together we can create a movement that brings tangible change and creates a future of hope. (See Connection, Community, Chosen Family, Solidarity, Belonging and Allyship). ​ < Back to Glossary