Glossary
Equalities Terminology
Anti-racist: An approach adopted by those who directly challenge racism and provide alternative ideologies and structures to current practices which, consciously or unconsciously, are racist in effect.
Anti-sexist approaches: Challenges sexist assumptions, practices and stereotypes and provide positive alternatives
Black: The term black is a positive all-inclusive descriptor to describe people who are not white. The word is also a political term of solidarity. It refers to people of African, African Caribbean, South Asian, South East Asian, Chinese and other minority ethnic people who share a common experience of discrimination in Britain on account of their colour or racial origin. The term originally took on political connotations with the rise of black activism in the USA in the 1960s when it was reclaimed as a source of pride and identity in opposition to the many negative connotations relating to the word ‘black’ in the English language (black leg, black list etc). Whilst there are many differences between and within each of the groups the inclusive term black refers to those who have a shared history of European colonialism, neo-colonialism, imperialism and racism
Coloured: Whilst this term has been commonly used to refer to black people in the past, it is now considered offensive and old fashioned. The term originated in colonial times and was used primarily by white people to describe black people. This is now not a term that is acceptable to use, largely due to the historical associations connected to the term’s use.
Culture: This defines certain customs or practices that are common to specific groups of people and constitutes a self-identification within the group. People of the same heritage, ethnicity group or religion usually share cultures.
Diversity: The difference in values, attitudes, cultural perspective beliefs, ethnic background, sexual orientations, skills, knowledge and life experiences of each individual in any group of people. Embracing diversity celebrates the full range of skills, knowledge and life experience of individuals with different values, attitudes, practices, cultural perspectives and religious beliefs.
Equal opportunities: The absence or removal of barriers to economic, social and political participation on the grounds of difference, for example due to a person’s gender, race or disability.
Ethnic: This term refers to cultural groups of various kinds. It is often wrongly used to refer to black communities only, whereas all people have ethnicity hence white people are also part of particular ethnic groups.
Ethnic Group: ‘A group of people who share common historical experiences, a cluster of cultural beliefs and practices, a broad collective consciousness of belonging together and see themselves and are seen by as more of less distinct’ (Phikhu Parekh)
Ethnic Minorities: A term used in Britain to describe groups of people who are identified in terms of a common heritage or culture which is different to that of the majority within Britain.
Gender: Is the socially ascribed characteristic of ‘femininity’ or ‘masculinity’ as opposed to the biological differences between male and females. It refers to learned behaviour and attributes determined by society as suitable for members of one sex, and varies between cultures.
Harassment: Unwanted behaviour that has the purpose or effect of violating a person’s dignity or creates a degrading, humiliating, hostile, intimidating or offensive working environment. Harassment on grounds of race or ethnic or national origins is a specific unlawful act under the RRA. Harassment on other grounds may involve less favourable treatment and may be unlawful direct discrimination.
Impairment: Lacking part, or all of a limb, or having a defective limb, organ, or mechanism of the body.
Institutionalised Racism: The collective failure of an organisation to provide an appropriate and professional service to people because of their colour, culture or ethnic origin. It can be seen or detected in processes, attitudes and behaviour which amount to discrimination through unwitting prejudice, ignorance, thoughtlessness and racist stereotyping which disadvantage minority ethnic people.
North: Minority/developed/first world.
Positive Action: Refers to steps taken to redress past inequalities and imbalances within society.
Prejudice: This involves a judgement made, without sufficient knowledge of facts, which is stereotypical or discriminatory. Prejudice is when negative judgements are made about individuals or groups of people who are perceived to be inferior.
Race: Categorisation of people defined by colour of skin and physical appearance, which was developed from a falsely scientific way of thinking. It has now become social concept with no biological or scientific basic (essentially there is only one ‘race’ which is the human race).
Race relations: The relationships between people of different racial groups.
Racial Discrimination: This refers to practices, which disadvantage or deny opportunity to those of a different heritage or culture. The Race Relations Act (1976) defines 2 types of racial discrimination.
- Direct discrimination involves a situation whereby a person is treated less favourably than another on racial grounds.
- Indirect discrimination is more difficult to identify and occurs when access is formally given to everybody but practices show that a smaller proportion of a particular group are unable to comply with requirements and this cannot be justified.
Racial group: Racial groups are groups defined by racial groups ie race, colour, nationality (including citizenship) or ethnic or national origins. All racial groups are protected from unlawful racial discrimination under the RRA. Romany Gypsies, Irish Travellers, Jews and Sikhs have been explicitly recognised by the courts as constituting racial groups for the purposes of the RRA. A person may fall into more than one racial group, for example, a Nigerian may be defined by race, colour, ethnic or national origins and nationality. The courts have held that a person’s actual racial group may be irrelevant to the way they are treated, and that their racial group may be defined by a discriminator’s perception or (incorrect) assumptions about, their ethnic or national origins.
Racialism: This is a term which, in the past, was synonymous with ‘racism’ and was used to denote the same concept . Now the term is largely restricted to descriptions of the activities and beliefs of ‘right–wing’ organisations such as the extreme nationalist parties.
Racism: Racism results from prejudiced attitudes based upon notions of racial superiority and inferiority. When combined with power this produces behaviour and institutional structures that discriminate against black and ethnic minority groups in a white dominated society. Any action, conscious or unconscious, is racist if it colludes with this process. Racism is defined by its effects, which result in black and ethnic minority groups in Britain being oppressed leading to disadvantage in many areas of their lives.
Segregation: Segregation on racial grounds is automatically regarded as treating the segregated person less favourably than others. It constitutes unlawful direct racial discrimination.
Southern: Majority/less developing/least developed/third world.
Sex Discrimination: Refers to individual or general practices, which by default or intent put individuals or groups of people at a disadvantage because of their sex. The Sex Discrimination Act (1975) defines 2 kinds:
- Direct discrimination, where a person, intentionally or not, is treated less favourably than a member of the opposite sex.
- Indirect discrimination, where treatment may appear to be equal in a formal sense but is discriminatory in its effect on one sex.
Sexism: Refers to the way in which underlying attitudes, practices and structures lead to inequality between the sexes. It is generally used to refer to the prejudices and discrimination faced by girls and women.
Stereotyping: Refers to assumptions that a person’s abilities, interests, characteristics and behaviour are determined by their sex, sexual orientation, marital status, ‘race’, religion, colour or nationality. This is defined as a ‘fixed’ and over simplified idea of the usual behaviour, the abilities of the aspirations of persons of one group only. Stereotyping can become a self-fulfilling prophecy. If characteristics are constantly attributed to one group only they will continue to be associated with members of that group, regardless of whether individuals have those attributes. Stereotypes can be positive or negative.
Victimisation: Less favourable treatment of a person because they have brought legal proceedings under the RRA, or are suspected of having done so; or because they have alleged that a person has committed an act which would amount to unlawful discrimination; or because they have given evidence or information in connection with proceedings brought under the RRA; or because they have otherwise done anything under the RRA in relation to any person, or because they have intended or intend to do any of these acts.