Important Terms

An umbrella term for Two-Spirit, Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, Queer or Questioning, Intersex, Asexual, and other gender and sexual identities. “2S” honors Indigenous gender and spiritual traditions by placing them first. Everyone under this umbrella deserves safety, visibility, and belonging. 

Designing spaces, systems, and experiences that are usable by everyone. Accessibility includes physical access, communication styles, financial equity, and flexible policies that reduce barriers. 

A lifelong practice of learning, listening, and taking action in support of people facing discrimination-even when you don’t share their identity. True allyship is active, humble, and never self-centered.

An intentional commitment to recognize, confront, and undo racism in ourselves, in institutions, and in everyday life. Anti-racism means learning to act, not just observe.

Movements that challenge societal standards of beauty and promote the acceptance of all body types. Body liberation especially emphasizes freedom from systems that stigmatize fat, disabled, trans, and racialized bodies.

A system that privileges cisgender identities and experiences while discriminating against or invalidating transgender and non-binary people.

The forceful taking of land, resources, and power by one group over another-often through violence, laws, and cultural erasure. In Canada, colonialism is ongoing and deeply connected to the displacement and marginalization of Indigenous Peoples.

Taking elements of a culture-like clothing, music, or language-without understanding, credit, or permission, especially when done by a dominant group to a marginalized one. It’s not appreciated when power imbalances are ignored.

An environment that is spiritually, socially, emotionally, and physically safe for people-where there is no assault on their identity. Often used in healthcare and education with Indigenous and racialized populations.

Actively shifting attention and power away from dominant groups and towards the leadership, perspectives, and experiences of marginalized communities.

A framework that guides how institutions like Trent strive for justice. Each term connects: decolonization challenges settler systems, equity ensures fairness, diversity values differences, and inclusion ensures participation.

A policy approach that corrects systemic barriers to hiring, promotion, and workplace inclusion for marginalized groups. It recognizes that fairness isn’t automatic-it requires structural effort.

Recognizing that people have different needs and histories, and giving everyone what they need to thrive. Equity goes beyond equality (treating everyone the same) to focus on justice and fairness.

A form of manipulation where a person or system causes someone to doubt their own memory, perception, or sanity, often used to maintain control or deny oppression.

How someone shows or performs their gender-through clothing, voice, mannerisms, or other outward signs. Expression may change over time and doesn’t always match gender identity.

Any act of violence rooted in power and gender inequality. It can affect anyone but disproportionately targets women, trans, and non-binary people. This includes sexual assault, harassment, coercion, and systemic harm.

Repeated or severe behaviour that demeans, humiliates, or threatens someone. Harassment can be verbal, physical, digital, or systemic-and is often connected to protected grounds under human rights laws.

A more accurate way to describe groups that have been denied full participation in society. The issue isn’t identity-it’s that institutions were designed without certain people in mind.

Basic rights and freedoms that belong to every person, such as the right to safety, dignity, and freedom from discrimination. In Ontario, these rights are protected by law.

The cultural, political, and spiritual identity that connects Indigenous Peoples to land, community, and ancestry. It’s more than heritage-it’s a lived relationship that resists colonization.

A term for people born with physical sex characteristics-such as chromosomes, hormones, or anatomy-that do not fit typical definitions of male or female bodies. Intersex is a natural variation of human biology.

A movement that embraces mental health diversity and challenges psychiatric oppression. It reframes mental illness through a social justice and identity-based lens.

The right to access safe, affordable, and stigma-free menstrual products and information-important in conversations about gender justice and health.

Modern forms of dominance where powerful countries or corporations control or exploit less powerful regions economically, politically, or culturally, continuing colonial patterns under new forms.

A long-term pattern where certain groups are treated as inferior or less deserving of rights. Oppression can be cultural, economic, legal, or invisible-but it always limits access to power.

A respectful and inclusive term to describe individuals who experience disability. Many people identify proudly with this label, while others may prefer “disabled person” as a political identity.

Concepts used to explore how different aspects of identity-like race, gender, or class-can afford individuals varying levels of societal advantage or disadvantage.

A term for people who are treated differently because of perceived racial or ethnic identity. It recognizes that race is not biological-it’s something assigned by social and political systems.

Systems of faith and meaning that guide a person’s values, identity, and practices. Human rights protections apply to freedom of religion and to freedom from religious coercion.

Discrimination based on sex, gender identity, or gender expression-often directed at women, trans, and non-binary people. Sexism can be subtle or violent, but it’s always rooted in inequality.

Any unwanted sexual act or behavior that occurs without consent, including assault, harassment, and exploitation. Sexual violence is rooted in power and control.

Recognizes that people bring different life experiences, beliefs, and identities to any space. Valuing social diversity means recognizing this richness as a strength.

A commitment to stand with marginalized communities in their struggles for justice and rights, often through collective action and shared goals.

When marginalized people are included superficially to give the appearance of diversity-without real inclusion or power. Tokenism can be isolating and harmful.

An approach that understands and responds to the impact of trauma. It emphasizes safety, empowerment, and healing in spaces like education, healthcare, and community work.

Groups whose presence in certain spaces-such as leadership, academia, or decision-making-is lower than it should be due to historical and ongoing exclusion.

Different methods of understanding the world. Western knowledge is just one way. Indigenous, spiritual, experiential, and community-based knowledge are equally valid and important.

A system that privileges whiteness at every level-historically and currently. It’s not just about extremist groups; it’s also about everyday norms that center white culture, values, and power.