Do Better

by Rachel Ricketts

  Fat—

  A reclaimed, once pejorative, word for people considered outside of the Eurocentric ideals of beauty because of their body weight or size. Being fat is not a problem, but the negative stereotypes about fat folx are. Fat folx are oppressed as a result of their body size (see “fatphobia”).

  Fatphobia—

  The irrational fear of, aversion to, or discrimination against folx of larger body size (for example, naming all fat people unhealthy). Rooted in anti-Blackness, as Eurocentric ideals of feminine beauty were founded in opposition to Black women’s bodies, specifically the body of Sarah Baartman.

  Feminism—

  There are many definitions and critiques even within the feminist movement, but my favorite definition is based on scholar and author Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie’s notion, which is “a [movement of people] who believe in the social, economic and political equality of all [gender identities].”

  Femme—

  Historically used in the lesbian community but increasingly used by other LGBTTQIA+ folx to describe gender expressions that reclaim, claim, and/or disrupt traditional constructs of femininity inclusive of those who actively embody a femme identity or gender presentation irrespective of sex assigned at birth or sexual orientation.

  Filipinx—

  Pronounced Phil-i-PEEN-ex, an inclusive, non-gender-specific way of referring to people who descend from the Philippines.

  Folx—

  An alternate spelling of the noun “folks” that emphasizes inclusion and the existence of all gender identities.

  F.Y.I.—

  Acronym for Fuck Your Intentions (and Feel Your Impact). A reminder to center impact over intention.

  Gaslighting—

  A malicious, often hidden abusive technique causing mental and emotional harm that can occur in any sort of relationship. It causes the recipient to doubt themselves and/or their reality.

  Gender—

  Shared by Shay-Akil McLean and D.A.T.T. as “the range of mental and behavioral characteristics pertaining to, and differentiating between and across, masculinity and femininity. In Western societies, the accepted cultural perspective on gender views women and men as naturally and unequivocally defined categories of being with distinctive psychological & behavioral propensities that can be predicted from their reproductive function” (as set out in Candace West and Don H. Zimmerman, “Doing Gender,” Gender & Society 1, no. 2 [June 1987]: 126). It is a social construct fundamentally different from the sex one is assigned at birth.

  Gender expression—

  Refers to how a person expresses their gender identity, usually in terms of dress, behaviors, etc., which may or may not correlate to traditional notions of “masculine, “feminine,” or otherwise.

  Gender identity—

  Defined by the UC Davis LGBTQIA Resource Center as a sense of one’s self as trans, genderqueer, woman, man, or other (socially constructed) identity, which may or may not correspond with the sex and gender one is assigned at birth. Due to the status quo observance of gender binaries, our gender identity may not align with how we experience power, privilege, or oppression. For example, if a nonbinary person is perceived as masculine in certain settings, then they benefit from patriarchy in those instances.

  Gender non-conforming (GNC)—

  Refers to folx who have a gender identity and/or expression that exists beyond traditional gender “norms.”

  Genderqueer—

  Refers to individuals whose identities exist beyond the binary. It can be an umbrella term for anyone between or outside identities of “male” and “female.”

  Girl+—

  Refers to girls (cisgender or transgender), as well as any young person who may hold less assigned gender power. The “+” is derived from Bear Hebert to include all those who self-identify as oppressed by misogyny similarly to those who identify as girls, including femme, femme-passing, gender non-conforming, nonbinary, agender, genderqueer, intersex folx, and all those who live outside of identities that terms or language can describe now or in the future.

  Grief—

  The normal and natural humxn emotional response to a loss, change, or lack of change of any kind, usually exhibited by overwhelming sadness and other conflicting feelings. Can be individual and/or collective.

  H.A.R.M.—

  Acronym for Heartbreaking Acts of Racism (or other oppressive bullshit) formerly known as “microaggressions.” Magnifies the harm caused by seemingly small bullshit acts of racism or similar violence.

  Heteronormativity—

  Defined by the UC Davis LGBTQIA Resource Center as a set of lifestyle norms, practices, and institutions that promote binary alignment of “biological” sex, gender identity, and gender roles; assume heterosexuality as a fundamental and natural norm; and privilege monogamous, committed relationships and reproductive sex above all other sexual practices.

  Heteropatriarchy—

  A dominant ideology whereby heterosexuality and patriarchy are centered as the social norm, with all other sexualities, gender identities, and sexual expressions deemed deviant and consequently oppressed.

  Hispanic—

  An ethnic identifier to distinguish someone of Spanish descent (island of Hispaniola). Excludes Portuguese descent or language.

  Humxn/humxnity—

  An alternative spelling to “human” removing the reference to “man” to specifically connote humxns and humxnity inclusive of all gender identities.

  Institutional racism—

  Defined by Dismantling Racism Works as the ways in which global structures, systems, policies, and procedures of institutions are founded upon and then promote, reproduce, and perpetuate advantages for white people and the oppression of BI&PoC.

  Internalized oppression—

  Defined by the University of Kansas’s Community Tool Box as when people who are targeted, discriminated against, or oppressed over a period of time internalize—believe and make part of their own self-image and internal view of themselves—the myths and misinformation that society communicates to them about their group.

  Intersectionality—

  A term created by law professor Kimberlé Williams Crenshaw, it is a metaphor for understanding the ways that multiple forms of inequity or disadvantage sometimes compound themselves and create obstacles that often are not understood within conventional ways of thinking about anti-racism, feminism, or whatever social justice advocacy structures we have. It’s a prism for understanding certain kinds of problems.

  Intersectional spirituality—

  A means to aid us in invoking a multifaceted approach to wellness that promotes culturally informed, racially sensitive, and nonappropriative spiritual teachings and practices as the path forward for healing the collective divide. It provides a framework for embracing spiritual and wellness practices as a way to unpack our privileges, help heal our own hearts, and dismantle white supremacy, while also acknowledging the ways they have been and continue to be used to do the exact opposite.

  Intersex—

  Folx born with variations in sex characteristics. Intersex people are as common as redheads and often forced into gender assignment surgery at very young ages without their consent.

  Latinx—

  Pronounced La-teen-ex, is a non-gender-specific way of referring to people of Latin descent, including Portuguese. Latinx is an ethnicity, not a race (though both are social constructs).

  LGBTTQIA+—

  An abbreviated acronym for LGBTTQQIAAP+ (defined below).

  LGBTTQQIAAP+—

  The unabbreviated acronym that stands for Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, Two-Spirit, Queer, Questioning, Intersex, Androgynous, Asexual, Pansexual. The “+” is an all-encompassing representation of any other sexual or gender identities people may use or prefer as known now or in the future.

  Men+—

  Refers to men (cisgender or transgender), as well as anyone else who may hold more assigned gender power. The “+” is derived from Bear Heb
ert to include all those who self-identify as benefiting from patriarchy similarly to those who identify as men, including masculine, masculine-passing, gender non-conforming, nonbinary, agender, genderqueer, intersex folx, and all those who live outside of identities that terms or language can describe now or in the future. This is set out as such because our gender identity may not align with how we experience power, privilege, or oppression (see “gender identity” for more) and that power can also change based on how others do or do not perceive us.

  Mental load—

  An unpaid form of labor comprising all the mental work, organizing, planning, list-making, and mental space holding you do to manage your personal and professional life and those of the ones you love. Can be related to work, managing the household, caretaking responsibilities, etc. Under white supremacist/binary gender roles, women and femmes are expected to carry more mental load.

  Microaggression—

  The everyday verbal, nonverbal, and environmental slights, snubs, or insults, whether intentional or unintentional, which communicate hostile, derogatory, or negative messages to target persons based solely upon their marginalized group membership. It is an act of violence and in no way “micro.” See “H.A.R.M.”

  Misgendering—

  Defined by the UC Davis LGBTQIA Resource Center as attributing a gender to someone that is incorrect/does not align with their gender identity. It is an act of violence.

  Misogynoir—

  A portmanteau that combines (1) “misogyny” (prejudice against women, girls, femmes, and femme-presenting folx) and (2) “noir” (the French word for “black”) as coined by the queer Black feminist Moya Bailey to describe the specific intersection of anti-Blackness and sexism Black women+ face. Common iterations include the labels “angry,” “sassy,” “promiscuous” (“Jezebel”), or “strong.”

  Neurotypical—

  Having a style of neurocognitive functioning that falls within the dominant societal standards of what is deemed “normal.” Folx with developmental or other cognitive challenges are deemed to fall outside of the dominant (i.e., “normal”) neurotypical umbrella.

  Nonbinary (enby)—

  Most commonly used to describe someone whose gender identity does not fall within the traditional binary gender categories of “male” or “female.”

  Non-Black Person/People of Color (non-Black PoC or NBPoC)—

  A person or people racialized as non-white and non-Black including non-Black Indigenous folx, East Asians, and South Asians.

  Non-disabled—

  Folx who do not experience a functional and/or social disadvantage or restriction of an activity caused by contemporary social organization (as created by systemically oppressive forces).

  Oppression—

  Defined by Dismantling Racism Works as the systematic subjugation of one social group by a more powerful social group for the social, economic, and political benefit of the more powerful social group.

  Pansexual—

  A person attracted to people of all gender identities, whether “male, “female,” or otherwise (pan is Greek for “all”).

  Patriarchy—

  Defined by the Canadian Race Relations Foundation as the norms, values, beliefs, structures, and systems that grant power, privilege, and superiority to those who identify or appear as “men” or masculine, and thereby marginalize and subordinate those who identify or appear as “women” or feminine.

  Person/People of Color (PoC)—

  A highly diverse and grossly over-categorized grouping of people from a variety of socially constructed races including Black, Indigenous, South Asian, and East Asian. Folx from marginalized ethnicities including Latinx and Jewish are sometimes included (which I disagree with), and it is often used to intentionally erase Black people (for example, referring to the “experiences of PoC,” which erases anti-Blackness). Whenever possible, avoid this term and specifically identify the race or ethnicity you are referring to. Also see “BI&PoC.”

  Poor—

  A reclaimed, once pejorative, word to describe folx economically oppressed under white supremacist capitalist systems of inequity. A person is considered poor if their income, if any, falls below that required to meet their basic needs. Poverty is a systemic issue. In order for some people to amass wealth, there must be people who are poor.

  Power—

  The legitimate and legal ability to access and directly control or influence all institutions sanctioned by the state often held solely by white or white-passing people.

  Prejudice—

  A feeling or prejudgment toward a person or group member based solely on that person’s group membership. Not always negative, but often is.

  Privilege—

  A special right, advantage, or immunity (often unearned) granted or available only to a particular person or group of people often to the detriment of others. Privilege can be based on race, gender identity, ability, sexual orientation, class, immigration status, language, nationality, religion, ethnicity, beauty, and more.

  Pronouns—

  Linguistic tools used to refer to someone in the third person that are often tied to gender in English and some other languages. Pronouns include: they/them/theirs, ze/hir/hirs, she/her/hers, he/him/his, and any others as folx identify now or in the future.

  Queer—

  This term is a reclamation of a pejorative word. It is intentionally abstract in meaning but is often used as an umbrella term to encompass all non-heterosexual and/or non-cisgender identities.

  Race—

  An ever-evolving, socially constructed, nonscientific grouping of humxns based on shared physical qualities created for political purposes to benefit the white and wealthy. There are traditionally five socially constructed “races”: white, Black, Indigenous, East Asian, and South Asian, and folx can belong to more than one. Note: the classic five races are not exhaustive and do not adequately account for West Asian or North African folx, among others.

  Racial justice—

  Defined by Race Forward as “the systematic fair treatment of people of all races resulting in equitable opportunities and outcomes for all.” Racial justice—or racial equity—goes beyond “anti-racism.” It is not just the absence of discrimination and inequities, but also the presence of deliberate systems and supports to achieve and sustain racial equity through proactive and preventative measures. It is the proactive reinforcement of policies, practices, attitudes, and actions that produce equitable power, access, opportunities, treatment, impacts, and outcomes for all. Racial justice requires dismantling white supremacy, which necessitates ending all forms of oppression and must center and prioritize those who are most oppressed, being queer and trans, poor, fat, disabled, old, undereducated, non-English speaking, and otherwise oppressed Black and Indigenous women+.

  Racism—

  A global system of race-based oppression and discrimination of BI&PoC created by and for the benefit of white people. The culmination of prejudice, privilege, and power as only held by white or white-passing individuals.

  Sex—

  A nonbiological, medically constructed categorization usually assigned at birth (or via ultrasound) based on socially agreed upon biological criteria, most commonly via the external appearance of genitalia.

  Soulcare—

  The actions or inactions we undertake in order to best care for our souls and highest selves. It is part of communal care and understands that we must care for one another, as well as ourselves, in order for any of us to truly be well. It is about giving ourselves what we need in order to nourish our beings so that we can get into the world and demand a more equitable planet for all.

  Spirit animal—

  An appropriated concept assigned to the sacred rituals of some Indigenous tribes by colonial forces. The tribes that do have a concept related to a “spirit animal” have specific traditions that go along with it, as the spirit serves a specific function in their belief system. Not to be used by anyone outside of such trib
es. Try “animal friend” or “spirit guide.”

  Spiritual Activism—

  Daily, active, ongoing anti-oppressive thought, speech, and actions informed by a connection with a secular or non-secular spiritual power. It begins with deep inner work, which can be supported by culturally informed and culturally appreciative spiritual practices such as meditation, breathwork, energy healing, and yoga.

  Spiritual bypassing—

  Defined by John Welwood as the tendency to use spiritual ideas and practices to sidestep or avoid facing unresolved emotional issues, psychological wounds, and unfinished developmental tasks.

  Spirituality—

  Defined by Brené Brown as having to do with deep feelings and convictions, including a person’s sense of peace, purpose, connection to others, and understanding of the meaning and value of life; may or may not be associated with a particular set of beliefs or practices.

  Standpoint theory—

  A feminist theoretical perspective that argues that knowledge stems from social position such that the most marginalized have the best and most objective ability to assert knowledge.

  Status quo—

  The existing state of affairs or way things are now, especially regarding social or political issues. To maintain the status quo is to be resistant to change.

  Systemic racism—

  Includes the policies and practices entrenched in established institutions, which result in the exclusion or promotion of designated groups.

  Transgender/trans—

  Defined by Trans Student Educational Resources as encompassing the many gender identities of those who do not identify or exclusively identify with their sex assigned at birth. Other terms that may be deemed trans include: “transsexual,” “gender non-conforming,” “gender nonbinary,” “agender,” “androgynous,” “genderqueer,” and “genderfluid,” among many others. Being transgender is not indicative of gender expression, sexual orientation, hormonal makeup, physical anatomy, or how one is perceived in daily life.

  Two-Spirit—

  An umbrella term originated by Indigenous North American tribes to honor the fluid and diverse nature of gender and attraction and its connection to community and spirituality. In most tribes, Two-Spirits were neither “men” nor “women”; they occupied a distinct, alternative gender status, but the distinct meaning is tribe specific.