The Office of Equity, Vitality, and Inclusion, in partnership with Boston Medical Center, Boston University Medical Group, Boston University Chobanian & Avedisian School of Medicine, Boston University School of Public Health, Boston University Goldman School of Dental Medicine, and Boston University Graduate Medical Sciences collaboratively developed this Glossary as a tool to align our goals of justice, equity, and belonging and strengthen our collective understanding. Establishing shared language is foundational to creating common understanding by expanding our awareness of the world beyond our individual identities and experiences.
The Glossary is informed by experts across many fields and is consistent with our peer institutes. Most importantly, our students, faculty, staff, and leadership reviewed and revised it! Together, we developed the Glossary for Culture Transformation and together, we can promote an environment where everyone feels affirmed and valued!
Sign the Words Matter Pledge | More About the Glossary | Tips for Using the Glossary: Inclusive Language Practices
Glossary Terms
- AAPI
- Ableism
- Accessibility
- Accommodation
- Addiction
- African-American
- Age/Ageism
- Ally
- Anti-Blackness
- Anti-Racism
- Antisemitism
- Asexual
- Assigned Sex at Birth
- Autistic
- Belonging
- Bias
- BIPOC
- Bisexual
- Black Lives Matter (BLM)
- Blind
- Burnout
- Cisgender
- Codeswitch
- Colonialism
- Colorblind Ideology
- Colorism
- Cultural Appropriation
- Cultural Humility
- Culture of Wellness
- Deaf
- Decolonization
- Developmental Disability
- Disability
- Disabled
- Discrimination
- Diversity
- Efficiency of Practice
- Enslaved Person
- Equity
- Ethnicity
- Fatphobia
- Gay
- Gender
- Gender Binary Structure
- Gender Equity
- Gender Expression
- Gender Identity
- Gender-diverse
- Genderqueer
- Health Equity
- Health Inequity
- Heterosexism
- Hispanic
- Historically Underrepresented
- Im/migrant
- Implicit Bias
- Inclusion
- Indigenous / Indigenous Peoples
- Intersectionality
- Intersex
- Islamophobia
- Latinx
- Lesbian
- LGBTQIA+
- Marginalized Communities
- Microaggression
- Misgender
- Misogyny
- Model Minority
- Myth of Meritocracy
- Neuro-diverse
- Neuro-typical
- Non-binary
- Oppression
- Pansexual
- Patriarchy
- People of Color
- Performative Activism
- Personal Resilience
- Prejudice
- Privilege
- Professional Fulfillment
- Professional Vitality
- Pronouns
- Psychiatric Disability
- Queer
- Race
- Racial Equity
- Racial Inequities
- Racial Justice
- Racism
- Reverse Discrimination
- Sexism
- Sexual Harassment
- Sexuality
- Social Stigma
- Stereotype Threat
- Substance Use Disorder
- TERF
- Tokenism
- Transgender
- Transphobia
- Two-Spirit
- URG
- URM
- White Privilege
- White Supremacy
Featured Terms
Ableism
Noun
Beliefs or practices that rest on the assumption that being able-bodied is “normal” while other states of being need to be “fixed” or altered. This can result in devaluing or discriminating against people with physical, intellectual or psychiatric disabilities. Institutionalized ableism may include or take the form of un/intentional organizational barriers that result in disparate treatment of people with disabilities (PwDs).
- Source
Harvard Human Resources Glossary of Diversity, Inclusion and Belonging (DIB) Terms
Cisgender
Adjective
A term to describe a person whose gender identity aligns with those associated with the sex assigned to them at birth (i.e., a person who is not transgender).
- Source
Adapted from Human Rights Campaign and The Fenway Institute
Sign the Words Matter Pledge
Commit to using the Glossary for Culture Transformation as a tool to be an ally and champion of justice, equity, and belonging. This Words Matter pledge is adapted from and inspired by the work of BMC's Grayken Center for Addiction to end the stigma surrounding substance use disorders and people in recovery.
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The Glossary for Culture Transformation is a living document to be revised on an annual basis. It was developed by the Office of Equity, Vitality, and Inclusion in partnership with Boston University Chobanian & Avedisian School of Medicine, Boston Medical Center (BMC), and Boston University Medical Group (BUMG).
Suggested Citation: Office of Equity, Vitality, and Inclusion, Boston University Chobanian & Avedisian School of Medicine, Boston Medical Center, and Boston University Medical Group. Glossary for Culture Transformation. 2021.
For questions or suggestions, please email wordsmatter@bu.edu.