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Disabilities do not necessarily limit people unless society imposes assumptions that do not account for the variation in people’s abilities.Ībleism: The pervasive system of discrimination and exclusion that oppresses people who are disabled, including differences in mental, cognititive, emotional, and/or physical abilities, through attitudes, actions, or institutional policies.Īgeism: The pervasive system of prejudice and discrimination that marginalizes people based on their age. Ability is not permanent, can fluctuate throughout one’s life, and is another aspect of diversity in our communities. These terms are important to acknowledge as part of our mission to challenge all forms of oppression that affect the multiple, intersectional identities held by members of our community.Ībility: The quality of having the means or skill to do something. This glossary contains terms, such as ableism and disability, that may not be considered directly related to identities of sexuality or gender. “If I didn't define myself for myself, I would be crunched into other people's fantasies for me and eaten alive.” Audre Lorde Ultimately it is most important that each individual define themselves for themselves and therefore also define a term for themselves. You may even consider asking someone what they mean when they use a term, especially when they use it to describe their identity. This glossary is provided to help give others a more thorough but not entirely comprehensive understanding of the significance of these terms.
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This Glossary has been collectively built and created by the staff members of the LGBTQIA Resource Center since the early 2000s. They are provided below as a starting point for discussion and understanding. 1.GLOSSARY The terms and definitions below are always evolving and changing and often mean different things to different people. That's powerful to me - so in that spirit, here are seven reasons I prefer to use "queer" instead of lesbian. Instead of being an umbrella term, this definition wants to be a fringe term or an alternative way for people to define themselves. It is important to note that the word queer is an in-group term, and a word that can be considered offensive to some people, depending on their generation, geographic location, and relationship with the word. It reads: An alternative that some people use to "queer" the idea of the labels and categories such as lesbian, gay, bisexual, etc. The second definition, however, is a little more involved, and it resonates much more for me and for a lot of queer people within queer communities. The University of Michigan's Spectrum Center offers two definitions for the word "queer," the first of which is, "An umbrella term sometimes used by LGBTQA people to refer to the entire LGBT community." While this definition is certainly true for many people, it's not the reason I categorize myself as queer to be under the proverbial umbrella isn't something that all queer people want, and in fact, may wish to actively resist. But while I of course can't speak for anyone else, and each individual's definition of the word is deeply personal, a big part of it is the fact that "queer" is a word that actively resists definition - and the freedom afforded by such a term matters in a big way.Īs I mentioned, what "queer" means will vary from person to person in order to get an idea of some of the ways people might use the term, though, let's take a look at a few possible meanings. There isn't really a short answer there are a lot of reasons why I make this distinction for myself. When I come out to people, I'm generally asked to explain why I use "queer" instead of lesbian to identify myself.