Glossary of terms

Identity

Ally: Someone who supports and stands with people from groups they are not part of, with Open SU using the term to encourage active, reflective support that does not centre allies over marginalised voices.
Asexual / aromantic: People who experience little or no sexual and/or romantic attraction, which Open SU recognises within its inclusion, welfare, and LGBTQIA+ support work.
BAME / Global Majority: “BAME” (Black, Asian and Minority Ethnic) is commonly used in the UK but has recognised limitations, while “Global Majority” is increasingly used to reflect demographics and agency, and Open SU aims to use terminology preferred by the communities it represents.
BIPOC: An acronym for Black, Indigenous, and People of Colour, used to centre specific racialised experiences and histories.
Bisexual: A person who is romantically and/or sexually attracted to more than one gender.
Cisgender: Someone whose gender identity aligns with the sex they were assigned at birth.
Disability: A physical, mental, sensory, or long-term condition that may affect daily life, understood within Open SU through both medical and social models.
Gender Identity: A person’s deeply felt internal sense of their own gender, which may or may not align with the sex they were assigned at birth and may change over time.
Intersectionality: An understanding of how multiple aspects of identity, such as race, gender, class, sexuality, or disability, interact to shape experiences of privilege and marginalisation.
LGBTQIA+: An umbrella term for diverse sexual orientations and gender identities, including Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Trans, Queer or Questioning, Intersex, Asexual, Aromantic, Agender, and others.
Neurodivergent: Describes people whose neurotype differs from what is socially considered neuro-typical.
Non-binary: An umbrella term for gender identities that do not fit exclusively within the binary categories of man or woman.
Pronouns: Words used that may be used to refer to someone’s gender in conversation, instead of a person’s name, such as she/her, he/him, or they/them, which Open SU encourages sharing and respecting to support inclusive interaction.
Transgender (Trans): A term for people whose sense of gender doesn’t match, or isn’t limited to, the sex they were assigned at birth. They may identify in various ways, including transgender, gender-fluid, non-binary, agender, trans masculine, trans feminine, or other gender-diverse identities.

Concepts

Ableism: Discrimination or prejudice against disabled people, or the prioritising of non-disabled experiences, with Open SU using the term to support the identification and removal of barriers to participation.
Ageism: Prejudice or discrimination against people because of their age, often affecting older or younger students.
Antiracism: Practices that recognise, challenge, and seek to change racism at personal, institutional, and systemic levels.
Belonging: A sense of acceptance, value, and inclusion within a community, which underpins Open SU’s approach to representation, engagement, and student experience.
Bias: A preference or tendency that affects judgement, sometimes unconsciously.
Cultural appropriation: The inappropriate adoption of customs, practices and ideas of individuals or societies, by members of another (and typically more privileged) community.
Classism: Discrimination or prejudice based on social or economic class.
Colonialism: Historical and ongoing systems of control over lands and peoples that have created long-term global inequalities.
Discrimination: Unfair treatment of individuals or groups based on characteristics such as race, gender, disability, age, religion, or sexual orientation.
Equity: The principle of recognising that different people have different needs and starting points, and allocating resources and support accordingly to achieve fair outcomes, which informs Open SU’s approach to ongoing inclusion and access.
Gaslighting: Manipulative behaviour that makes someone question their own sanity or perception of reality, regarding their experiences with oppression and discrimination.
Gender Expression: How a person outwardly expresses their gender.
Gender-Inclusive/Gender Neutral: Language, spaces, or practices that do not assume or prioritise a particular gender, which Open SU aims to use across communications, facilities, and activities.
Homophobia: Fear, hostility, harm and/or prejudice towards people who are or are perceived to be lesbian, gay, or bisexual.
Implicit bias: Unconscious attitudes or stereotypes that influence understanding, actions, and decisions.
Inclusion: The creation of environments where people feel welcomed, respected, and able to participate fully, which forms a core principle of Open SU’s work.
Inclusive language: Language that avoids assumptions or exclusion about identity, which Open SU encourages across its communications and engagement.
Institutional/Systemic racism: Policies and practices within organisations that produce unequal outcomes for racialised groups, even where discrimination is not explicit.
Intentional spaces (Safe and Brave Spaces): Safe spaces prioritise comfort and security, while brave spaces support respectful challenge and learning, both of which Open SU aims to provide across its activities.
Islamophobia: Prejudice, hostility, harm and discrimination towards Islam and Muslims.
Marginalised Groups: People or communities who experience exclusion or reduced access to power and opportunity due to systemic inequality.
Microaggressions: Subtle comments or behaviours that communicate bias towards marginalised groups, sometimes unintentionally.
Misgendering: Referring to someone using language or pronouns that do not align with their affirmed gender identity.
Neurodiversity: The understanding that neurological differences are natural variations of the human brain and there is a diversity in neurocognitive styles across humans.
Oppression: Systemic and sustained patterns of disadvantage affecting particular groups.
Patriarchy: A social system that privileges men and masculinity across institutions and cultural norms.
Privilege: Unearned advantages linked to certain social identities, often operating alongside systemic inequality.
Protected Characteristic: A personal characteristic protected from discrimination under UK law.
Race: A social construct shaped by history, power, and social context rather than biology.
Racism: Actions, beliefs, or systems that advantage one racial group over others.
Sex Assigned at Birth: The sex recorded at birth.
Sexual Orientation: A person’s emotional, romantic, or sexual attraction to others.
Transphobia: Prejudice, hostility, harm and/or discrimination towards trans people.
Xenophobia: Fear or hostility towards people perceived as foreign or outside one’s community.