Important terms

The term "ableism" refers to the structural discrimination of people with (ascribed) disability, neurodiversity, partial disability or chronic illness. A clear boundary is drawn between people with and people without disability, neurodiversity, partial disability or chronic illness (othering), which is deeply rooted in society in the form of productivity, beauty and health norms, among other things. Discriminators are often unaware of this discrimination or see it as "well-intentioned". This can be reflected in patronising help, for example. However, a disability that prevents people with disabilities from realising their personal potential often only arises as a result of the discrimination itself, on the one hand because the characteristics and needs of those affected are not taken into account by institutions because they do not fall under what is socially defined as "normal"; on the other hand because they are denied the necessary help to compensate for their physical, mental or health impairment or are only granted it in an externally determined form.

(Source: ida e.V.)

Ageism generally refers to the discrimination of individuals or groups on the basis of their attributed age. In this sense, age discrimination and ageism serve as generic terms for ageism and adultism.

(Source: ida e.V.)

In line with right-wing populist, conservative theories and as a counter-movement to feminism, supporters of anti-feminism defame the emancipatory demands and achievements of women* and queer people. They deliberately ignore the fact that there is a historically and culturally characterised power imbalance between men*, women* and queer people, which feminist movements challenge and fight against with their demands. For example, they see the women's quota as a disadvantage for men without recognising that this positive measure is intended to compensate for other, perhaps less visible mechanisms of discrimination.

(Source: ida e.V.)

Anti-Muslim racism (AMR) is racism based on culturalist arguments that is directed against Muslims and people who are labelled as Muslim, regardless of whether they actually practise Islam or how religious they are. The AMR is based on the assumption that (supposed) Muslims are fundamentally and irreconcilably different. They are labelled by external characteristics such as religious clothing, appearance, name or nationality. An "ethnic" origin (ethnicity), an "ancestry" and a religious and cultural affiliation are derived from them and contrasted with an "us" (e.g. "the Germans", "German culture", "Western Christian culture", etc.) (othering). Further historically anchored attributions (stereotyping) are linked to the categories created in this way (e.g. security risk, "backwardness", "uncivilised", "inability to integrate"). They are transferred to individuals in a deterministic manner in order to explain their behaviour, justify social inequalities, exclusions and dominance, maintain the privileges of the respective "we" group and stabilise a national community construction geared towards homogeneity.

(Source: ida e.V.)

Anti-Semitism is based on a double distinction. Firstly, the "we" group is differentiated as a "people", "state", "nation", "race", "identity", "culture" or religion from other "peoples", "states" etc. In an anti-Semitic logic, these entities are always understood as essential, unified and harmonious communities. "The Jews" are then contrasted with them as an opposing principle. Through a corresponding stereotyping, "the Jews" are made responsible for all unsettling and negatively perceived circumstances of political, economic and cultural modernisation processes, and the threat and "disintegration" of those originally imagined communies are attributed to them. This results in the belief in a world divided into good and evil, in the workings of hidden powers and conspiracies as further basic elements of anti-Semitism. As "the Jews" represent the personified threat in this logic, the reversal of victims and perpetrators and the discrimination - up to and including extermination - of people labelled as "Jews" are also inscribed in anti-Semitism. Anti-Semitic stereotypes justify this discrimination. A distinction is made between the following important forms of anti-Semitism: Christian, racist, secondary, Israel-related and Nazi-related anti-Semitism or anti-Zionist and Islamist/Islamised anti-Semitism.

(Source: ida e.V.)

BIPoC* stands for Black, Indigenous, People of Colour and is an analytical and political self-designation. The asterisk does not refer exclusively to the gender diversity of BIPoC*, but also to those people with experiences of racism who do not identify with the terms contained in the acronym. The term gives people who have experienced racism a community and space for activism, protection and empowerment. At the same time, it makes the diversity of different people's experiences of racism visible and enables alliances of solidarity across the boundaries of marginalised communities.

(Source: ida e.V.)

Discrimination is the unequal, disadvantageous and marginalising treatment of constructed groups and the individuals assigned to them without an objectively justified reason. Discrimination can manifest itself as avoidance of contact, disadvantage in access to goods and positions, boycotting or personal degradation. The term describes both the process and the result, i.e. the marginalisation and structural disadvantage of the discriminated persons and groups. The enforcement of discrimination usually requires social, economic, political or discursive power. Discrimination is not limited to individual behaviour, but is also anchored in social, political, economic and legal structures. To make this clear, a distinction is made between discrimination on a subjective, interactional, institutional, socio-cultural and structural level.

(Source: ida e.V.)

Every person has characteristics, habits and behaviours that set them apart from others. Some characteristics bring privileges, others make access to resources more difficult. The diversity approach problematises social power relations in their intersectionality, which are linked via norms, discrimination and privileges in connection with ascribed categories such as "skin colour", origin, residence status, religion, gender, sexual orientation, disability, age and social origin or social status. Norms and power play a decisive role when people are excluded from social resources or are given privileged access to them. Diversity therefore not only means variety or versatility, but also criticism of discrimination, power and norms, empowerment and power sharing as well as an intersectional perspective.

(Source: ida e.V.)

The term was coined by the US civil rights and self-help movement and stands for self-empowerment or self-enablement. It refers to a process in which disadvantaged people develop their own strengths and use their abilities to participate in political and social decision-making processes and thus improve their living conditions and development opportunities - regardless of the goodwill of those in the majority. This includes concepts and strategies that help people in (relatively) marginalised positions to achieve a higher degree of self-determination and autonomy and to represent and assert their interests in an autonomous, self-responsible and self-determined manner. Empowerment refers to both the process of self-empowerment and professional support for people to recognise and utilise their scope for action and resources.

(Source: ida e.V.)

FLINTA* is German abbreviation and stands for women, lesbians, intersex, non-binary, transgender and agender people. These and similar abbreviations are subject to change over time. Abbreviations such as FLINT, FINTA, FLT, TINA, TIN are also used. When using one of these abbreviations, it is important to consider which groups of people are to be addressed and to ensure that they can also feel addressed.

(Source: TU Berlin, Coordination Office for the Advancement of Women and Gender Equality)

The term originates from the English language and stands for social gender. In contrast to biological sex, social gender refers to the socially and culturally constituted gender roles of women and men as well as the socially dominant ideas of femininity and masculinity. This emphasises that ideas about "typically female" or "typically male" tasks and roles are not natural, but are based on cultural traditions and social conventions. At the same time, sex and gender cannot be clearly distinguished from one another: Social gender cannot be completely separated from biological characteristics and, conversely, social genders influence the notion of biological genders. In this respect, both categories influence each other.

(Source: ida e.V.)

Hate speech refers to derogatory statements that are specifically aimed at certain people or groups of people. In misanthropic (e.g. heterosexist, racist, anti-Semitic) statements, people are insulted or threatened. This hatred can be reflected in speech and writing, especially on social media.

Heteronormativity refers to "the exclusively binary gender division (into male and female) that is considered natural", mutual heterosexual desire, both of which are seen as the social norm, and corresponding binary roles for men and women. The heteronorm appears to be "exclusive and essential, natural and unchangeable." People who do not conform to the heteronorm often experience discrimination (heterosexism).

(Source: ida e.V.)

The term homophobia originates from socio-psychological attitude research and refers to negative feelings or hostility towards homosexuals, which often lead to rejection and discrimination of or even violence against LGBTQIA*. These emotions, attitudes and actions are often based on a heterosexist world view. The use of the word heterosexism is preferable to the term homophobia, as it does not limit the problem area to attitudes and does not construct a homogeneous group of "homosexuals", which is primarily perceived as a group of those affected, but instead focuses on the heterosexual majority society as a whole, its privileges and prejudices, and the function of these prejudices for its claims to power and dominance becomes clear. The term heterosexism is also preferable to the term homophobia, as it is not a classic anxiety disorder that is a quasi-natural reaction to homosexuality, as the word suggests. Negative attitudes towards homosexuals are usually based on traditional ideas of heteronormative gender roles, which are called into question by the presence of homosexual people. The term therefore limits the phenomenon to the individual level and ignores the context of a heteronormative society and culture.

(Source: ida e.V.)

The term intersectionality describes the analysis of interdependence (mutual conditionality) and the interaction of various categories of differences with dimensions of social inequality and exclusion. In order to gain a comprehensive understanding of discrimination, its individual forms (such as racism, sexism or heterosexism) cannot be considered independently of each other. A homosexual Muslim who has migrated and is studying economics could, for example, be affected by discrimination due to his sexual identity and/or his religion and/or his "ethnic" origin. At the same time, due to their gender affiliation and educational background, they have various resources at their disposal that privilege them in these aspects. Intersectionality therefore does not just mean multiple discrimination, but the fact that the interdependence of lines of difference and their social consequences lead to very specific forms of discrimination.

(Source: ida e.V.)

The term classism refers to discrimination against people based on their (ascribed) economic, socio-political or educational status or origin. This can manifest itself, for example, through insulting comments, degradation, etc., as well as limited access to housing, educational qualifications, healthcare, etc.

(Sources: ida e.V. and University of Heidelberg, UNIFY)

The abbreviation LGBTQIA* is a collective term and stands for lesbian, gay, bisexual, trans* and intersex, queer and asexual or agender people. The asterisk is a placeholder for different identities. The abbreviation occurs in different variants and can also include other additions.

(Source: Federal Anti-Discrimination Agency)

The term lookism (also known as bodyism) refers to discrimination and dominance based on physical beauty and health standards. "Good looks" and a "healthy" body are extremely important in our society in order to be successful and be taken seriously. Ideas of what is beautiful and healthy have grown culturally, are highly variable and differ from person to person. Nevertheless, (often sexist) norms and ideals regarding the body are characterised and defined by images from advertising, for example. People who fall outside these norms are often psychologically or physically attacked and structurally discriminated against. This is often based on ideas of performance and self-optimisation in the sense of the economic utilisation and productivity of people, which can also be found, for example, in ableism and ageism. In the history of racism, ideals of beauty have repeatedly been used to hierarchise "races". Even today, beauty is still often implicitly equated with whiteness. This legacy of racism continues to have an impact, particularly in formerly colonised societies, and is perpetuated by the cultural hegemony of the Western world.

(Source: ida e.V.)

The abuse of power is the use of power, e.g. by a manager or professor, for one's own benefit or that of a group to which one belongs, at the expense of others. The more serious the consequences for those affected, the worse the abuse of power. Abuse of power in science can be understood as the misuse of a relationship of dependency, particularly in a hierarchical structure. Abuse of power has various facets and forms, which can range from sexualised discrimination and violence to threats and scientific misconduct. Abuse of power is often mixed with other types of discrimination such as racism, sexism or ableism.

(Source: TU Berlin)

Marginalisation refers to the displacement of individuals or population groups to the margins of society. Marginalisation can occur at different levels, for example geographically, economically, socially or culturally; it usually takes place at several levels simultaneously. Marginalisation takes place within a power structure and goes hand in hand with discrimination: the further a group is on the margins of society, the less power it has and the more disadvantaged it is compared to the social "centre". Marginalisation does not only affect numerical minorities. In a patriarchal society, for example, femininity is marginalised even though women are not a minority.

(Source: ida e.V.)

Queer is often used as a collective term for lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and intersex people. However, it is also often used as a self-designation to describe an identity that goes beyond categories such as "man" and "woman" or "heterosexual" and "lesbian"/"gay". Queer can also refer to an attitude that questions gender binaries and heteronormativity and strives to deconstruct identities, categories and life models. The adjective "queer", which actually has rather negative connotations, means "deviant, weird" and was initially used as an insult to devalue people who deviate from the socially prescribed heteronormativity. In the course of a positive appropriation of the term, however, there was a re-evaluation and use of the term by the initially devalued themselves.

(Sources: LSVD+ and ida e.V.)

Racism is the process in which people are constructed as homogeneous groups on the basis of actual or perceived physical or cultural characteristics (e.g. skin colour, origin, language, religion), evaluated in a hierarchical manner and excluded. Classic racism asserts the inequality and unequal value of groups of people on the basis of alleged biological differences. Neo-racism attempts to justify inequality and inequivalence with alleged differences between "cultures". Racism is the sum of all behaviours, laws, regulations and views that support the process of hierarchisation and exclusion. They are based on unequal power relations.

(Source: ida e.V.)

There is no standardised definition of right-wing extremism, as the term is understood differently in large parts of academia than the official definition of the Office for the Protection of the Constitution and the related "extremism theory". Furthermore, it is disputed what the elements of an extreme right-wing world view are and at what level of intensity one can speak of a closed extreme right-wing world view. However, the vast majority of researchers can at least agree that an ideology of inequality is an integral part of right-wing extremism. According to this, people are categorised into "natural", unchangeable collectives based on constructed "races" or "ethnicities". By excluding all those who do not "naturally" belong to the collective, the aim is to ensure that ethnically homogeneous peoples live together in regions that are defined along ethnic dividing lines. By ascribing the collective a primary position over the individual, the far-right argument contradicts the foundations of liberal democracy, which is itself orientated towards the free, equal and self-determined individual.

(Source: ida e.V.)

Black is a political self-designation of people of African and Afro-diasporic origin, Black people, people of dark skin colour and people of colour. The term does not necessarily describe skin colour, but rather the shared position in the violent power structure of racist society and the shared experiences of racism. The term is deliberately capitalised because it refers to the positioning in the white dominated majority society. The term is emancipatory in nature and originated from the civil rights movement.

(Source: ida e.V.)

Sexism is understood to mean any kind of discrimination against people on the basis of their (ascribed) gender as well as the ideology underlying these phenomena. Sexism can be found in prejudices and world views, in social, legal and economic regulations, in the form of actual violence (rape, trafficking of women, sexual harassment, degrading treatment and language) and in the justification of such violent structures by referring to a "natural" gender difference.

(Source: ida e.V.)

Sexualised harassment, discrimination and violence is not an individual fate, but a structural problem in our society that disproportionately affects women, trans*, inter* and non-binary people. Sexualised harassment, discrimination and violence are acts that violate a person's right to sexual self-determination. This can include sexually degrading language, gestures with a sexual connotation, the showing of pornographic images, unwanted touching, physical assault, coercion into sexual behaviour and more. Sexualised harassment, discrimination and violence occur in all parts of society, including at universities. Here, dependency relationships and professional hierarchies encourage abusive behaviour.

(Source: TU Berlin, Coordination Office for the Advancement of Women and Gender Equality)

The term trans hostility originates from socio-psychological attitude research (group-focused misanthropy) and describes negative feelings or hostility towards trans* people, which often lead to rejection and discrimination of or even violence. These emotions, attitudes and actions are often based on a heterosexist world view. The use of the word heterosexism is preferable to the term transphobia, as it does not construct a discriminated group of "trans* people" that exists as a uniform object as well as as it is not a classic anxiety disorder that is a quasi-natural reaction to transgender people, as the word suggests. Instead it focuses on the socio-cultural background of a heteronormative dominant society and the privileges and prejudices of the majority members.

(Source: ida e.V.)

The term white does not necessarily refer to a person's skin colour, but rather their positioning and social attribution as white in a racially structured society. This is based on the assumption that racialisation and racism not only position people who can be discredited by racism, but also people who cannot be discredited by racism. This means that racism also structurally assigns white people a certain social place. This place is associated with privileges, experiences of dominance and the experience of acting as a yardstick for the judgement of non-white people without being marked as white themselves. Who is considered white and who is not varies historically, socially and geographically. Nevertheless, whiteness is historically and socio-structurally anchored, so that it is not a question of free choice whether white people derive advantages from this positioning and whether they can exercise dominance. The term white therefore serves to make this usually unmarked positioning of white people - with its usually invisible consequences - visible. Only in this way can existing power relations and ideas of normality be described, analysed, reflected upon and changed without positionings appearing as natural characteristics of people. To make these connections clear, white is often italicised.

(Source: ida e.V.)