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Anti-Oppression Workshop

Next Up - Saturday, December 13th, 2014

Facilitated by Natasha Aruliah and Jackie Larkin

Social Justice Language and Definitions

Language around Identity
Aboriginal Peoples A term used in Canada for the descendants of the
original inhabitants of North America. Used to collectively describe what in
Canada is recognised as three cultural groups of aboriginal people the
Inuit, Mtis and First Nations. These are three separate peoples with
unique heritages, languages, cultural practices, and spiritual beliefs, histories
and political goals. This distinction and language is not the same in the USA,
despite First nations preceding colonial borders and spanning North America.
Activist Individuals who take action to bring about change and share their
vision for the world. They may challenge dominant power structures, to
eliminate oppressive forces in society, and work to redistribute power within
society to attempt to bring equity. However, activists can also include
individuals and groups that want to promote their worldview, such as the
pro-life, anti-abortion movement or the family values anti-gay movement.
Ally An individual who belongs to the dominant group and understands
their privilege based on their dominant membership. They work with
marginalised groups to fight systemic and institutionalised oppression and
individual discriminatory, oppressive behaviours. In particular they seek to
redress power imbalances, and seek to challenge their power, and support
the sharing and gaining of power by marginalised groups. For example, a
man who works to end sexism, a white person who fights to end racism, a
straight person who works to end homophobia and heterosexism whilst
recognising their own power and privilege within the systems.
Designated groups In Canadian law, with regards to employment equity,
the government recognises 4 groups that experience discrimination,
disadvantage and are underrepresented in the work force, or
overrepresented in lower pay, menial jobs. These groups are Women, Visible
Minorities, Aboriginal people and the Disabled.
Disabled - one of the ways of referring to people with a disability, however,
this term is debated within the community, particularly as it centres the
dominant able-bodied group. Some people prefer to self-define as
Differently abled, and/or define the dominant group as temporarily ablebodied. These terms do not embrace the diversity of experience amongst
the differently abled community, such as visual differences, hearing
differences, mobility differences, speech differences, learning differences,

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chronic illness, psychiatric illness and mental health etc. Each with their own
specific needs for accommodation.
Dominant Culture - Dominant Group - The dominant group has both the
power and authority to preserve, sustain, and promote the existing
distribution of power, wealth, and status in society and to preference its
culture, world view and ways of being by setting the norms and rules.
First Nations - One of the three distinct cultural groups of Aboriginal
Peoples. There are 633 First Nations Bands, representing 52 nations or
cultural groups, and more than 50 languages in Canada. Most individuals
prefer to be referred to by their specific nation e.g. Cree, Dene, Black Foot,
Haida etc. Note that First nations preceded colonial borders and so First
Nations can span North America and are not limited to national borders.
Intersectionality refers to the intersections of one or more identities that
result in a different or specific experience. For example, the stereotyping of
South Asian or Muslim women as very unassertive, powerless, in loveless,
arranged marriages. This stereotype does not fit for all women, nor for all
South Asian or Muslim people, but is specific to the intersection of being both
South Asian or Muslim and a woman.
Invisible minority refers to marginalised group who cannot easily be
recognised by visible characteristics. Therefore are forced to choose
whether to out themselves as a member of a marginalised group or pass.
This has a specific and unique impact on individual identities and the
potential to live in denial of ones true self.
LGBQQTT one of the possible ways of referring to Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual,
Queer, Questioning, Transgender, Transsexual, Two Spirited people, other
variations include LGBT, LGBQT etc. As with so many oppressed groups,
there is huge diversity within the Gay community and debate as to self
definitions and labelling. Some members only use the word queer to define
all non-heterosexual identities, others who hate the term Queer because of
its derogatory, historical context. Still others refer to themselves as gay as
an umbrella term. The term gender-queer is sometimes used to discuss
identities outside the normative male/female gender roles.
Metis there is considerable debate over this definition. Often includes a
person who self-identifies as Mtis, is of historic Mtis Nation Ancestry, is
distinct from other Aboriginal Peoples and is accepted by the Mtis Nation.
Or, from Wikipedia: The Mtis are one of the Aboriginal peoples in Canada
who trace their descent to mixed First Nations and European heritage. The
term was historically a catch-all describing the offspring of any such union,
but within generations the culture syncretised into what is today a distinct
aboriginal group with formal recognition equal to that of the Inuit and First
Nations.

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Minority/Marginalised/Non-Dominant Group - The minority group does
not refer to numbers of people. It refers to any group that is disadvantaged,
excluded, discriminated against, exploited or oppressed usually based on
their physical or cultural characteristics. They have an inferior status in
society and their culture, ways of being are seen as bad, inferior or
wrong.
Multiplicity - refers to the multiple identities and group memberships we
have at the same time, for example middle class, educated and woman and
lesbian. Therefore we can experience both privilege and marginality in our
lives. This multiplicity can provide protection from some marginalising
experiences. Although there is no hierarchy of oppressions there are times
when dominance in one area can protect from marginalising in another.
Passing - a term used to describe a marginalized person whose marginality
is not visible and/or whose other dominant identities allow them to pass as
a member of the dominant group and does so. In particular this term has
been used to describe racialised people who are light skinned and can pass
as white, but could also refer to LGBT people, and people with disabilities
that are not visible etc. In passing they do not share their identity as a
marginalized person and are often internalising their oppression.
Race/Racial - A socially constructed belief that human beings can be
divided up into distinct racial groups that are biologically different (based on
features such as skin colour, shape of eyes or nose), and that these
differences are hierarchical, with some races being superior to others.
Although science has proven the notion of races and racial differences to be
false, the belief has been ingrained into cultural worldviews and is
perpetuated despite evidence to the contrary and is thus recognised as a
social construct.
Racialised - This is a general term used to refer to all people who
experience racism regardless of ethno-cultural identity, and specifically to
recognise that racism is based on a false belief that races exist. Sometimes
racialised people self-define as people of colour or visible minority to
highlight their experience of racism. This term includes Aboriginal people.
Visible minority usually refers to people who share physically visible
characteristics such as dark skin, eye shape, nose size etc and are therefore
considered part of a racial group which is a socio-political identity that is
separate and distinct from an ethno-cultural identity. Sometimes visible
minorities self-define as people of colour or racialised people to highlight
their experience as racially oppressed peoples. In Canada, visible minorities
are one of the four designated groups covered by employment equity laws.
Working poor refers to lower social economic status groups, who often
live close to or below the poverty line, and whom some may refer to as the
lower class or working class. In Canada, little acknowledgement is made

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of a class system and yet it is very evident as the gap between the rich and
the poor both within countries and globally keeps increasing. Class is a very
clear concept within a social justice framework which advantages some while
disadvantaging others in relation to job opportunities, access to education,
financial and job security, housing, healthy living conditions, etc.

Language around Concepts and Processes

Culture - The ideas, beliefs, values, behavioural norms, knowledge and
traditions of a group of individuals who share a historical, geographic,
religious, racial, linguistic, ethnic or social context, and who transmit,
reinforce and modify those ideas and beliefs, passing them on from one
generation to another. A culture is the total of everything an individual learns
by being part of a group immersed in a particular context. It results in a set
of expectations for appropriate behaviour.
Ethnicity - The multiplicity of beliefs, behaviours and traditions held in
common by a group of people bound by particular linguistic, historical,
geographical, religious and/or racial homogeneity. Ethnic diversity is the
variation of such groups and the presence of a number of ethnic groups
within one society or nation. The word ethnic is often used to denote nondominant or less powerful cultural identities in Canada.
Diversity - A term used to encompass all the various differences among
people including race, religion, gender, sexual orientation, ability, socioeconomic status, etc. and commonly used in the United States and
increasingly in Canada to describe workplace programs aimed at reducing
discrimination promoting equality of opportunity and outcome for all groups.
Concern has been expressed by social justice practitioners that diversity
programs may water down efforts to combat oppression in all its forms.
Assimilation - The full adoption by an individual or group of the culture,
values and patterns of a different social, religious, linguistic or national
group, resulting in the elimination of attitudinal and behavioural affiliations
from the original cultural group. Can be voluntary or forced.
Values - Value are ideas and beliefs that are important to the individual or
group, and identify what is right or wrong, good or bad, acceptable or not
acceptable, desired or not desired behaviour. They are culturally influenced
and usually shared within the group.
Stereotypes - A conscious or unconscious, shared understanding about a
whole group of people, based on generalized characteristics with regards to
perceived physical or cultural attributes. Stereotyping exaggerates the
uniformity within a group and its distinction from other groups. Some
stereotypes may seem positive, but they are always negative as they limit

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individuals. They are generalizations about all members of the group, and are
harmful when individuals are judged according to the perceived norms of
their group instead of personal merit or individual personality.
Bias - An opinion, preference or inclination formed without any reasonable
justification, but usually based in familiarity and comfort. Biases can be
positive (usually towards ones own group or those most similar to ones
own group) or negative (usually to those most different from ones own
group). Bias is reflected in peoples attitudes towards others and makes it
difficult for a person or group of people to evaluate and take actions
objectively or accurately
Prejudice - To pre-judge, to hold beliefs and attitudes about a person or
group, either positive or negative, based in little fact, without adequate
evidence or information. These attitudes are often not recognized as false
assumptions because of the frequency with which they are repeated. They
become common sense notions that are widely accepted, and are used to
justify acts of Discrimination.
Stereotype + Values = Prejudice/Bias
Harassment - Persistent, on-going communication (in any form) of
negative attitudes, beliefs or actions towards an individual or group, with the
intention of placing that person(s) in a disparaging role. Harassment is
manifested in name calling, jokes or slurs, graffiti, insults, threats,
discourteous treatment, and written or physical abuse. Harassment may be
subtle or overt.
Discrimination - happens when people are treated differentially (positively
or negatively) because of prejudice or bias, such as prejudice based on race,
gender, class, religion, age, ability, sexual orientation or ethnicity.
Prejudice + Action = Discrimination.
Oppression systematic use of power to marginalise, exploit, discriminate
against, deny the complete humanness of members of a disadvantaged
group. The power utilised can include physical, psychological, social, legal,
economic, or use of actual force.
Barriers - Policies or practices that prevent or block people from
participating in society fully and equally. The barriers may be obvious such as
stairs that deny people in wheelchairs access to a space, or not so obvious
like hosting breakfast meetings which become barriers with employees with
care-giver responsibilities.
Marginalisation - happens when a person or group is considered
unimportant, or are made invisible (due to dominant norms), their voices and
views are ignored and they do not have full and equal access to the social,
economic, cultural and political institutions of society.

Power - Conscious or unconscious advantages, such as financial, decision

making and access, that allow some groups to have power over or dominate
others and to maintain the dominant groups position in society, on top. In
combination with the isms, power and privilege are used to further unfair
advantage and treatment based on membership in the dominant group
rather than individual merit or valuing and respecting group differences.
Individuals within the dominant group may not always be aware that they
have or use power and privilege, and they may not always want it.
Privilege - Is the invisible, unearned advantages and opportunities that
accrue to members of a dominant group. For example, the ability to move
freely and usually unquestioned in society, to have easy access to things
such as employment, good childhood healthcare, good quality education, to
have ease of communication, and to know you are heard and understood. For
example, racial privilege is the concrete benefits of access to resources,
social rewards and the power to shape the norms, values and rules of
society, which white people receive, unconsciously, by virtue of their skin
colour in a racist society (Adams, Bell & Griffin, 1997).
Centring Dominant groups are taught to think of their lives as morally
neutral, normative, average and the ideal and therefore to refer to other
cultures/groups in opposition to dominant culture. Our language places
dominant cultures in the centre and describes others as not or other than,
i.e. non-white, dis-abled, etc. Because dominant culture is centred, it is
usually unlabeled and assumed, for example descriptions of offenders are
labelled by their race only if they werent White. Many activists criticise
efforts to work with marginalised groups as an attempt to help them or
others to be more like the dominant culture.
Eurocentric - The tendency to present information, organise policies,
practices and organizational structures, all from a European perspective. For
example, the work week and holidays are based on European calendars and
religious/historical holidays, and history is taught with regards to the
European perspective and impacts
Genocide - Deliberate decisions and actions made by one nation or group of
people in order to eliminate, usually through mass murder, the entirety of
another nation or group. The term has also been used to refer to the
destruction of the culture of a people, as in cultural genocide.

The Isms
(Dis)Ablism The cultural, institutional and individual set of beliefs and
practices that identify those with different abilities (developmental,
emotional, mental, physical, sensory or health-related disabilities) as inferior
and unable to do things, thereby resulting in differential treatment. The

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results limit what people with different abilities can do in society, for example
laws that prevented certain people from marrying or having children based
on mental ability.
Ageism The cultural, institutional and individual set of practices and beliefs
that assign different status/values to people according to their age, thereby
resulting in differential treatment.
Classism Beliefs and behaviours based on the belief that there is a
hierarchy of classes, and that those in the lower classes are less able and
less worthy and therefore are not entitled to full access in society. The
exteme version of this is the Caste system and the untouchables, or in the
European contexts the lepers.
Colonialism - is the establishment, exploitation, maintenance, acquisition
and expansion of colonies in one territory by people from another territory. It
is a process whereby the homeland claims sovereignty over the colony, and
the social structure, government, and economics of the colony are changed
by colonizers from the homeland. Colonialism is a set of unequal
relationships between the homeland and the colony and between the
colonists and the indigenous population.
Settler colonialism involves large-scale immigration, often motivated by
religious, political, or economic reasons.
Ethnocentrism - The tendency to believe that one's ethnic or cultural group
is centrally important, and that all other groups are measured in relation to
one's own. To judge others relative to their own groups culture, values and
behaviours.
Heterosexism - The belief that being heterosexual (attraction to the
opposite sex) is superior and right, as opposed to being gay, lesbian,
bisexual or transgendered, and the creation of practices that privilege
heterosexual life over other sexual preferences.
Homophobia - Fear or contempt of those who may be gay, lesbian, bisexual
or transgendered resulting in discrimination against people who may be
identified as gay, lesbian, bisexual or transgendered, homosexuality is
perceived as a challenge to traditional gender-roles, and is therefore,
considered by some people to be a threat to the established order
(Schneider, Margaret S., 1997).
Imperialism - A policy (the practice, theory and attitudes) of extending the
rule or authority of an empire or nation over foreign countries, which can
include acquiring and holding colonies and dependencies, but is not restricted
to this. Power and influence can be exerted through diplomacy or military
force and is based in ideological as well as financial gains. Modern versions
of imperialism could be seen as the UN and the IMF and World Bank, where

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Western countries and specifically the G8 have huge power and influence
over other nations. Also includes internationalisation and globalisation of
corporations, which includes the exploitation of labour and natural, national
resources by transnational corporations for financial gain.
Islamophobia - A term recently coined to refer to expressions of negative
stereotypes, bias, racism or acts of hostility towards individual Muslims or
followers of Islam in general.
Racism - Is the set of beliefs and individual and institutional practices that
excludes and/or limits people based on the external features, such as the
colour of their skin or hair texture. In the narrow sense, racism involves the
belief that biology rather than culture primarily shapes group attitudes and
actions. Racism may have a broader sense: the belief in the inherent
superiority of one group over another. It is used to explain the domination,
control, and exploitation of out groups based on their (assumed) cultural or
biological inferiority. Forms of racism range from the personal and direct, to
the impersonal and systemic. (Elliott & Fleras, 1992). Racism includes name
calling, physical violence, denial of employment, lower chances of college
admissions and higher chances of imprisonment.
Reverse Racism (discrimination) - The term reverse
racism/discrimination was created to imply that dominant groups could be
the victims of racism/oppression. However, if racism includes having power
in society, power which non-dominant groups do not have, then the reverse
is not possible. Therefore, it is understood as a term used consciously or
unconsciously to blame and place non-dominant groups back in a targeted
position (backlash). When dominant groups are discriminated against it is
simply discrimination, but not racism/oppression.
Sexism - Behaviour and beliefs that rank the sexes (the physical
characteristics that define male and female) and genders (cultural and
psychological definitions of femininity and masculinity), placing more value
on one over the other. Males and females are assigned different roles, rights
and privileges, and are subject to different rules of conduct. In addition,
men and women are assumed to possess distinct abilities and temperaments
that justify the perpetuation of the societal role structures. (Mackie,
Marlene, 1983.) As a group, in most societies, men have more power and
prestige than women and certain male characteristics are given preference.
Sexism, assumes a binary X or Y identity and does not adequately address
issues of gender identity and transgendered people.
Internalised Oppression - Patterns of mistreatment of oppressed groups
and the negative stereotypes created by the dominant group become
accepted and internalised by the recipients of oppression. These stereotypes
and beliefs become established in their cultures and lock members of these
groups into perpetuating the stereotypes about their own group,
discriminating within their own group and in particular developing a deep

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self-hatred that can be physically and psychologically destructive to the
individual.
Institutionalised or systemic oppression - A range of historically
developed and legitimised, impersonal and assumed objective institutional
practices, relationships and procedures which regardless of individual
attitudes of those involved, have the effect of discriminating against
marginalised groups. It is the consequence or impact that is crucial. Usually
it is not conscious or intentional (particularly on the individual level), but the
outcome/impact is discrimination due to normal, seemingly neutral
institutional rules, policies and procedures.

Language around solutions

Intercultural understanding/competence - is knowledge and awareness
gained by interacting with, or learning about people from diverse cultures
without imposing ones own cultural values on someone and recognising
cultural differences without evaluating them. Such understanding recognises
difference as different but equal and often assumes neutrality in the world
without addressing or acknowledging social reality of inequality, power and
privilege.
Multiculturalism - The term multiculturalism is most often associated with
policies and laws recognising and promoting our neighbourhoods, schools,
workplaces and nation as being made up of people with diverse experiences,
beliefs, practices and traditions, and values it. However, it is usually based
on Intercultural understanding and respect that assumes different but equal
and often is aimed at a superficial level of understanding the differences
(saris, samosas and song).
Anti-Oppression is based on the acknowledgement that isms and
oppressive practices exists in our society and are perpetuated through
uneven distribution of power and privilege. Anti-oppressive activists seek to
identify and challenge historical/institutional policies and practices and
individual behaviours that perpetuate isms and the oppression of
marginalised groups. Their goal is to prevent and eliminate of all types of
oppression.
Equality - is about treating everyone the same. For example, Canadians are
equal under the law. We all have the same rights and responsibilities,
regardless of our
differences.
Equity - is about fairness. It involves accommodating differences and
recognising that some people may face barriers or disadvantages in areas
like the workplace. The underlying assumption is different and equal and

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that in order to achieve equality, different practices may be needed for
marginalised group. The idea that there are many paths to the same point,
i.e rules around height requirements for fire service.
Inclusion/Inclusive describes any effort to include people and value the
diversity of their differences, so that they are able to participate as valued,
respected and contributing members of society/community/organisation.
This means all members of a community have equal access to the resources
of their community and the opportunity to participate in all areas, regardless
of their race, gender, social class, religion, sexual identity or other dimension
of diversity. An Inclusive organization/society will reflect their communities
diversity.

Definitions Adapted From the Following Sources:

1. B.C. Human Rights Coalition, (February 2003), Responding to incidents of
racism and hate: a handbook for service providers, pp. 4-10; 28-32.
2. Ministry of Community, Aboriginal and Womens Services: Aboriginal,
Multiculturalism and Immigration Programs Department, (March 2003),
Future directions: setting the path for anti-racism and multiculturalism
programming in British Columbia, Steering Committee Report, pp. 19-21.
3. Ontario Ministry of Education, (2009), Realizing the Promise of Diversity:
Ontarios Equity and Inclusive Education Strategy, website, at
www.edu.gov.on.ca.
4. Canadian Human Rights Act (R.S., 1985, c. H-6)
5. Glenn E. Singleton and Curtis Linton, (2006), Courageous conversations
about Race, Corwin Press, Inc., Thousand Oaks, California.
6. Chartand, P. (1992) Terms of Division: Problems of Outside-Naming for
Aboriginal People in Canada. Journal of Indigenous Studies, 1.
7. Mock, Karen R., (1992) A Glossary of Terms. Race and Ethnocultural Equity in
the Justice System. Western Judicial Education Centre, Saskatoon.
8. Ontario Human Rights Commission. (2003) Paying the Price: The Human Cost
of Racial Profiling. Toronto.
9.

Waziyatawin Wilson, (2005), For Indigenous Eyes Only: A Decolonization

Handbook, School of American Research Native America.