The AAFS Diversity Outreach Committee (DOC)

Barrier-free design, standards, systems, processes, and environments to provide all individuals, regardless of ability, identity or situation, an effective opportunity to take part in, use and enjoy the benefits of: programs, services, activities, communication, facilities, electronic/information technology, and opportunities.

The presence of variety within a group.

Everyone getting what they need in order to have access, opportunities and a fair chance to succeed. It recognizes that the same for everyone (i.e. equality) doesn't truly address needs and therefore, specific solutions and remedies, which may be different between people, are necessary.

An environment and commitment to respect, represent and accept diverse social groups and identities; an environment where all people feel like they belong.

A framework for understanding the interaction of cultures and identities held by an individual.

• Intersectionality explains how an individual with multiple identities that may have been marginalized can experience compounded oppression (such as racism, sexism, and classism) or how an individual can experience privilege in some areas and disadvantage in other areas. It takes into account people's overlapping identities to understand the complexity of their life outcomes and experiences.

Any unearned benefit, position, power, right, or advantage one receives in society because of their identity.

• Ability Privilege
• Cis/Hetero Privilege
• Class/Economic Privilege
• Male Privilege
• White Privilege

A social phenomenon or convention originating within and cultivated by society or a particular social group, as opposed to existing inherently or naturally

A practice within a society based on principles of equality and solidarity that understands and values human rights and recognizes the dignity of every human being. Such a practice would strive to provide basic human needs and comforts to all members of the society regardless of class, race, religion or any other characteristic.

​​​​​​Black and Indigenous People of Color; collective term for referring to non-white racial groups.

(Also see: Race)

A social construct that divides people into smaller social groups based on characteristics such as values, behavioral patterns, language, political and economic interests, history, and ancestral geography.

Distinct social and cultural groups that share collective ancestral ties to the lands and natural resources where they live, occupy, or from which they have been displaced.

A specific legal relationship between a person and a state, whether by birth or naturalization (i.e. a person's citizenship).

A social construct that divides people into smaller social groups based on characteristics most typically skin color.

A person who experiences little to no physical attraction to other people.

• Aromantic: A person who experiences little to no emotional or romantic attraction to other people.

A concept which involves a combination of four elements: chromosomes, hormones, external genitalia, and internal reproductive organs.

• AFAB/AMAB: Assigned Female At Birth/Assigned Male At Birth; used by many transgender people to refer to their given gender or biological sex

A person who has an emotional and physical attraction to persons of the same and different genders.

Describes a person whose gender identity and gender expression matches the gender typically associated with their biological sex. Often abbreviated to "Cis".

Refers to the characteristics of women, men, girls and boys that are socially constructed. This includes norms, behaviors and roles associated with being a woman, man, girl or boy, as well as relationships with each other. As a social construct, gender varies from society to society and can change over time.

A person who is emotionally and physically attracted to people of the opposite binary sex.

A person who is emotionally and physically attracted to someone of the same gender.

​​​​​​​A general term used for a variety of conditions in which a person is born with a reproductive or sexual anatomy that doesn't seem to fit the typical definitions of female or male. Intersexuality occurs as often as every 1 in 100 births.

• Examples include: people who are born with internal genitalia complicating the assignment of sex at birth; people born with both male and female genitalia; people born without genitalia; people born with an extra sex chromosome; people with genitalia suggesting one gender while the hormones produced in puberty are more consistent with the other gender.

A female or woman who has an emotional and physical attraction for other females or women.

A person who expresses fluid identities and/or orientations in their emotional and physical attraction to others. The term is sometimes used as an umbrella term to refer to all LGBTQ+ people.

An umbrella term used to describe a person whose gender identity and sex assigned at birth differ.

A modern umbrella Indigenous/Aboriginal-specific term used to describe people who fulfill or live any gender non-conforming spiritual and social role in their community; not considered interchangeable with non-Indigenous mainstream definitions of sexuality and/or gender identity.

• This term is controversial, as it can erase already similar existing terms in Indigenous societies as well as be misinterpreted as "simply Native/Indigenous LGBTQ."

The discrimination against people with disabilities or the prejudice against those with physical differences or disabilities.

The prejudice and discrimination against others based on age; the typical assumption is that "everyone is young", thereby ignoring the needs of older persons and society as a whole.

Hostility or prejudice against Jewish people just because they are Jewish. It may take the form of religious teachings that proclaim the inferiority of Jews, for instance, or political efforts to isolate, oppress, or otherwise injure them. It may also include prejudiced or stereotyped views and beliefs about Jews.

Prejudice in favor of or against something or someone, usually in an unfair or negative way.

Theft, exploitation, or mimicry of cultural elements for one's own personal use or profit – including symbols, dress, art, music, dance, language, land, customs, medicine, etc. – often without understanding, acknowledgment, or respect for its value in the original culture.

Unjust or prejudicial treatment of people for their identities or appearances.

A term for fear, anger, intolerance, resentment, hatred, discomfort, or mistrust that one may have toward LGBTQ+ people. Can also connote a fear, disgust, or dislike of being perceived as LGBTQ+.

Prejudice and/or discrimination against people who are or who are perceived to be Muslim, including a fear and/or dislike of Islamic culture.

Verbal or non-verbal statements, phrases, or actions that convey hostile, derogatory, or negative attitudes towards a people or group; microaggressions can be a dismissive look, physically distancing yourself from someone, or a negative tone because of one's appearance or identity.

The stereotype of a minority demographic whereby members are modeled to be higher achieving than those of other minority groups; using a minority group as a reference in order to perpetuate harmful perceptions of "the other" groups. The Model Minority Myth is also harmful to those in the "model minority" as it obscures and attempts to invalidate the discrimination experienced by members of the group.

The systematically expressed prejudice on the basis of group identities or membership; a common set of dynamics, processes, and structures that produces marginality and persistent inequality across any of the full range of human differences; a strategy of the dominant culture to prevent belonging.

Prejudice, stereotyping, and discrimination based on sex.

A widely held or simplified view of a people or group, usually negative; whether positive or negative, stereotypes do not take into account the spectrum of experience and beliefs of a people and are harmful.

The practice of making an empty, symbolic effort at diversity to give the appearance of diversity; this is often done by recruiting a small number of people from minority or underrepresented groups for visibility but not actual participation.

A term for fear, anger, intolerance, resentment, hatred, discomfort, or mistrust that one may have toward people who are transgender or gender non-conforming.