ASSIMILATION:
The process whereby a group gradually adopts the characteristics of
another culture.
BIAS: An inclination of
preference, especially one that interferes with impartial judgment.
BICULTURAL: A person who is
bicultural has the ability to function effectively and appropriately and
can select appropriate behaviors, values and attitudes within either
culture.
BIGOTRY:
person(s) obstinately or intolerantly devoted to his or her own opinions
and prejudices
CLASSISM: Any attitude or
institutional practice which subordinates people due to income,
occupation, education and/or their economic condition.
CULTURAL COMPETENCE: The ability
to function effectively in a society of culture variation.
CULTURAL CONDITIONING: The
unconscious process by which we are socialized to adopt the way of
thinking of our own group.
CULTURAL DIVERSITY: Developing
organizational processes that are inclusionary rather than exclusionary
for cultural conformity.
CULTURE: The integration pattern
of human behavior that includes thoughts, communications, actions,
customs, beliefs, values and institutions of a race, ethnic, religious or
social group.
DISCRIMINATION: Making decisions
in prejudicial manner that may exclude or deny opportunity; making
distinctions based on racial, ethnic, or distinguishing features such as
usage, religious identification of disability.
Combination of prejudice (superiority/inferiority belief system) and
institutional power, the power to impose that system on others
we all have the same ability to be prejudiced
Destructive "isms" (racism,
sexism, ageism, ethnocentrism, handicapism, homophobism, etc.)
Use of institutional power to reinforce biased belief systems and to
disadvantage others.
DIVERSITY: A point or respect in
which things differ.
Diversity is "otherness," or those human qualities that are different from
our own and outside the groups to which we belong, yet are present in
other individuals and groups. It is important to distinguish between the
primary and secondary dimensions of diversity.
Primary dimensions are the following: age, ethnicity, gender, physical
abilities/qualities, race,sexual orientation, gender identity.
Secondary dimensions of diversity are those that can be changed, and
include, but are not limited to: educational background, geographic
location,
income, marital status, military experience, parental status, religious
beliefs, and work experiences.
Source: Diversity At UMCP: Moving Toward Community Plan 1995
ETHNICITY: Refers to belonging to
a group with unique language, ancestral, often religious and physical
characteristics.
ETHNOCENTRISM: The emotional
attitude that one�s own race, nation, or culture is superior to all
others.
GAY: A common and acceptable word
for male homosexuals, but used for both genders.
HARASSMENT: Words or conduct
communicated with malice and with the intent to intimidate or harass
another person in a way that is associated with that person�s culture,
race, ethnicity, color, religion, ancestry, national origin, sexual,
sexual orientation, gender identity, appearance, disability, disease
aflicted persons, and I think this list could be expanded.
HARASSMENT (MALICIOUS):
Intentional intimidation associated with a person�s race, color, religion,
ancestry, national origin, or mental, physical, or sensory handicap that
causes physical injury to another person; or by words or conduct places
another person in reasonable fear of harm.
HOMOPHOBIA (Homohatred): The
irrational fear of homosexuals, homosexuality, or any behavior, belief, or
attitude of self or others, which doesn�t conform to rigid sex-role
stereotypes. It is the fear that enforces sexism and heterosexism. The
extreme behavior of homophobia is violence.
HOMOSEXUAL: A person who is
emotionally, physically, and/or sexually attracted or committed to members
of the same sex.
INCLUSIVENESS: The act of
encouraging belonging.
INTERNALIZED OPPRESSION: The
process by which a member of an oppressed group comes to oppression:
accept and live out the inaccurate myths and stereotypes applied to the
oppressed
group.
LESBIAN: A common and acceptable
word for female homosexuals only.
MANAGING DIVERSITY: This is a
comprehensive managerial process for developing an environment that works
for all employees. This process takes into account the need to change
organization systems to sustain the organization�s ability to get from all
employees everything they have to offer. It means approaching diversity at
all three levels: Individual, team or department and organizational. It
deals with the way managers do their jobs. It requires a fundamental
change in the culture and the way things are done. Although this
application is relevant to employment in general, perhaps is inapplicable
to educational diversity in schools too.
MELTING POT: A place where
immigrants of different ethnicity or culture form an integrated and
homogenous society.
MULTICULTURAL: A person who is
multicultural has the ability to function effectively and appropriately
and can select appropriate behaviors, values and attitudes of other
cultures.
MYTH: An ill-founded belief,
usually based on limited experience, given uncritical acceptance by
members of a group, especially in support of existing or traditional
practices and institutions.
PERSONS OF COLOR: People on
non-European ancestry. All persons self-identifying by the general
categories of Black or African-American; Hispanic, Latino or Chicano;
Asian or Pacific Islander; American Indian or Alaskan Native.
PLURALISM: A condition in which
members of diverse ethnic, racial, religious, or social groups maintain
their traditional cultures or special interests within a common (shared)
culture.
PREJUDICE: Preconceived judgment
or opinion.
Judgments about others that reinforce superiority/inferiority belief
systems.
Exaggerate value/worth of a particular group while diminishing worth for
other group(s).
Reinforced supported by stereotypes.
RACE: As a biological concept, it
defines groups of human beings based on a set of genetically transmitted
characteristics, i.e., physical characteristics, including color. The
concept of race as a sociocultural concept is being replaced by the more
appropriate concept of ethnicity.
RACISM: An attitude, action or
institutional structure, which subordinates a person or group because of
their color. Racism involves having the power to carry out systematic
discriminatory practices.
Individual Racism � Expressed by attitudes and behaviors of individuals.
Institutional Racism � Those established laws, customs, and practices,
which systematically reflect and produce racial inequalities in society .
. . no matter what individual intentions are.
SEXISM: A system of beliefs or
attitudes, which relegates women to limited roles and/or options because
of their sex.
STEREOTYPE: A mental picture
developed as a result of a myth. It is a characteristic or series of
characteristics that grow out of a myth and are placed on people.
TRANSGENDER: exhibiting the
appearance and behavioral characteristics of the opposite sex and is
applied when speaking of people who are seen as drag queens, cross
dressers, transvestites, and transsexuals and combinations of same.
GENDER DYSPHORIA: Gender
dysphoria is an umbrella term that covers feelings of unhappiness and
incongruity concerning an individual�s physical sex and/ or gender role.
GENDER
VARIANT/VARIANCE:
All inclusive of gay, lesbian, transgender and bisexual. |
