A-Spec

An umbrella term for the the asexual and/or aromantic spectrums. This includes anyone who experiences little to no romantic and/or sexual attraction (e.g., asexuals, aromantics, graysexuals, demisexuals). More on some of the many a-spec identities here.

Ableism

Practices and beliefs that assign inferior value to those with developmental, emotional, physical/ sensory, or psychiatric disabilities.

Absentee Fathers

Though there are fathers of all races and ethnicities who have minimal presence in their children’s lives, “absentee” isn’t used to describe most of them, just Black ones. In reality, CDC data shows Black fathers are more likely than other dads to be with their children on a daily basis.

Abstinence

The decision to and/or practice of not partaking in sexual activity, typically for a limited period of time (e.g., until marriage). Unlike asexuality, which is a sexual orientation that describes a lack of sexual attraction, abstinence is a behavior.

Adoption and Safe Families Act (ASFA)

A U.S. federal law passed in 1997 with the stated intent of improving the safety of children, supporting families, and promoting adoption and permanent housing for children who need them. Lawmakers claimed that ASFA signified a shift toward prioritizing children’s health and safety over the rights of their biological parents. However, many advocates want to repeal ASFA due to its provisions that have contributed to increased rates of family separation (e.g., termination of parental rights after children are in foster care for as few as 15 months; financial incentives for states that hasten the adoption of children in foster care, rather than emphasize reunification). These advocates say ASFA has had a detrimental effect on the children of incarcerated people, who are disproportionately BIPOC. In the U.S., Black children are 2.4 times more likely to have their parents’ rights terminated than white children. For more.

Affirmative Action

A set of policies and practices within a government or organization seeking to include particular groups based on their gender, race, religion, or nationality in areas in which they are excluded in the past such as education and employment.For myths and facts on affirmative action, see the ACLU Racial Justice Program, ACLU Human Rights Program, and the African American Policy Forum’s factsheet.

Affirmative Consent

A voluntary, affirmative, and conscious mutual agreement among all participants through words or nonverbal actions that create clear permission regarding willingness to engage in the sexual activity (i.e., “yes means yes”). Consent may be withdrawn at any time. Consent cannot be given when it’s the result of coercion, intimidation, force, threat of harm, or when a person is incapacitated (e.g., by drugs or alcohol, not awake or fully awake).

African Diaspora

The dispersal of millions of people of African origin all over the world, especially in Europe and the Americas. The largest populations descended from those forcibly transported from Africa are in Brazil, which, though not precisely listed in census returns, may be as high as 90 million – about half of Brazil’s entire population in 2010. Other similarly descended populations include approximately 40 million in the Caribbean, 40 million in the U.S., and many millions more in other countries. Roughly 4 million more enslaved Africans were taken to Brazil than to any other country. Slavery lasted longer in Brazil than in other countries, not being finally abolished until 1888. - Understanding Slavery Initiative

Afro Latinx

Black Latinx people who refer to themselves in varied, nuanced ways. For instance, those from Latin America and the diaspora self-identify using terms including, but not limited to, Black Latinx (“negro(a)/x” in Spanish), Afrodescendant (“afrodescendiente” in Spanish), and Afro Latinx.

Ageism

The stereotyping, prejudice, and/or discrimination against people based on their age (across all ages). Ageism affects all aspects of our society, from the workplace (e.g., being fired from a job because of age) to healthcare (e.g., not being taken seriously by doctors because of age).

Agender

A person who does not experience or express any gender (while most non-binary identities typically do have a gender, just one that isn’t binary). For more.

Aging out

When the state fails to reunite youth in foster care with their family of origin or place them in a permanent, adoptive home, young people are forced to exit the foster care system (i.e., when they turn 18 in most states, 21 in others). Those who age out often exit the foster care system lacking the support of an adult and without the basic information or skills required to navigate adulthood (e.g., how to open bank accounts, budget, apply for housing). This lack of support results in significantly worse housing, mental health, medical, financial, employment, and education outcomes for those who age out compared to their peers. For more.

Allah

Arabic word for God. Allah is the same God worshiped by adherents of Christian and Jewish faiths. In dialogue, Muslims speaking English and referring to God should say “God,” not “Allah.”

Allosexual

The opposite of asexual; someone who regularly experiences sexual attraction toward other people.

Amazigh

The Amazigh people (22-40 million) inhabit a territory spanning most of North Africa, from the Mediterranean and Atlantic coasts up to the Sahel. Since the 20th century, it also has had a substantial presence in Europe through the Amazigh diaspora. North Africa’s 25 million Amazigh (so-called Berbers) have long struggled to preserve their identity. Originally spread across the south of the Mediterranean, the majority have lived in Algeria and Morocco for thousands of years but have been denied the right to inhabit their culture and speak their language for centuries. Amid a long history of colonial suppression is the desire to no longer be referred to as Berbers but as Amazigh, meaning "free people,” and for their language to be known as Tamazight. Though these issues are still being hotly debated between the people concerned and those wielding power, progress has been made. Find more here.

Anchor Baby

An offensive term often used to refer to a child born to a non-citizen parent under the assumption the child will provide them a path to securing citizenship or legal residency.

Armenian Genocide

The centrally planned and systematically executed deportation and murder of 2 million+ Christian Armenians, Greeks, and Assyrians by the Ottoman Turkish government from 1915-1923.

Androgyny

A gender expression that contains physical elements of both masculinity and femininity or neither.

Note: Androgyny is a form of gender expression (how someone outwardly expresses their gender), not a gender identity (their innate sense of gender). While some non-binary people have an androgynous gender expression, others do not; androgyny is not a requirement to be or synonymous with non-binary.

Arab and/or Muslim

Arabs are people who identify as being from one of the 22 Arab League Nations (see below) who share a common language, history and culture. Arabs are also one of many ethnicities that practice Islam. But not all Arabs are Muslim; 7% adhere to other religions (e.g., approximately 5% of Arabs are Christian; approximately 63% of U.S. Arabs are Christian, 24% Muslim, 13% are other or have no religious affiliation).

ART, PrEP, and PEP

Medications that treat or prevent the spread of HIV. Antiretroviral therapy (ART) medication treats and manages HIV in HIV+ people. Pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) and post-exposure prophylaxis (PEP) are used by HIV- people at risk of getting HIV through sex or injection drug use. When taken correctly, these medications can make HIV+ people undetectable (i.e., reduce the amount of HIV in the body to untransmittable levels) and prevent the spread of HIV. For more