Diversity & Inclusion
In what ways do you unknowingly contribute to Racism, Heterosexism, or Transphobia?
Statistics highlight the blatant racism, heterosexism and transphobia that exists in our legal, political and health systems.
White Supremacy and Neocolonization has to end. Enslavement of African people, the Holocaust, genocide in Gaza, the detainment of indigenous peoples for engaging with their patrimonial plant medicines was and, in some places, is still LEGAL.
People of color and of the 2SLGBQTIA+ community are twice as likely to suffer from a mental health condition.
None of us are free until all of us are free.
“Many times trauma in a person decontextualized over time can look like personality. Trauma in a family decontextualized over time can look like family traits. Trauma decontextualized in people over time can look like culture.”
Definitions we all need to know and advocate against.
All definitions below are shared by Syre Saniyah, PhD. of Naropa University’s Center for Psychedelic Studies.
Col-i-ni-za-tion - the act or process of settling among and establishing control through violence over the indigenous people of an area, the action of appropriating a place or domain for one’s own use.
Op-pres-sion - is the malicious or unjust treatment or exercise of power, often under the guise of government authority. The law does not equate morality. They are not the same, especially when working with substances that continue to be controlled by anti-quested laws stemming from the War on Drugs. Oppression refers to discrimination when the injustice does not target and may not directly afflict everyone in society but instead targets specific groups of people.
Mi-cro-ag-gres-sion - are the every day slights, insults, putdowns, invalidations and offensive behaviors that people experience in daily interactions with generally well-intentioned individuals who may be unaware that they have engaged in a demeaning way. More commonly known as subtle act of exclusion, exclusionary behavior, abuse and racial abuse.
What to do if you commit or witness microagression?
CALL IT OUT! - If someone knowingly or unknowingly makes racist, non-inclusive comment or a subtle act of exclusion, we are only contributing to the problem if we don’t call it out. We have to speak up. We have to acknowledge that something said might be hurtful.
If you notice that you made a microaggressive comment, apologize.
If someone else made a microaggressive comment in your presence, identify that something hurtful was said. A diverse and inclusive existence requires that we no longer tolerate these actions.
Definitions to the Understand 2SLGBTQIA+ Community
Sexual Orientation - Our romantic, emotional, and/or sexual attraction to others. This attraction is on a spectrum.
Pansexual - A human being that is attracted to others not based on gender or sex / Attraction to all genders and all sexes (inclusive of non-binary, agender, genderqueer, gender fluid, etc.)
Bisexual - A human being that is attracted to the same sex/gender and other sex or genders
Homosexual - A human being that is attracted to the same sex and/or same gender
Heterosexual - A human being that is attracted to the opposite sex
Asexual Spectrum - A continuum that includes human beings who experience very little to no sexual attraction to folks who feel sexual attraction in specific circumstances or conditions. An example of this is demi-sexual people that generally need to feel an emotional connection before sexual attraction is possible.
Queer - The word queer captures the multitudes of sexual orientations, gender identities, gender expressions, and ways of living and loving that fall outside of cisgender and heterosexual identities. Queer is used as a reclaimed work in honor of queer elders and contemporaries who have fought and died for LGBTQIA+ rights.
Sex - The assignment of male, female, or intersex assigned at birth based on the genitalia one is born with
Gender - The classification of man, woman, non-binary, gender fluid or other descriptor that is different from sex and is impacted by socially constructed norms related to performance and expectations.
Gender Identity - How one identifies their gender. This may or may not be in alignment with sex assigned at birth.
Gender Expression - How one externally communicates their gender through methods of clothing, hairstyle, makeup, jewelry, etc.
Cisgender - a person who experiences alignment of the sex assigned at birth with gender identity.
Transgender/Gender Non-Conforming - A person who experiences a different gender identity than the identity assigned at birth.
Misgendering - Incorrectly referring to someone’s gender identity using incorrect pronouns. An example range of pronouns:
She/her
He/Him/His
They/Them/Theirs
Ze/Hir/Hirs
Xe/Xem/Xyrs
No pronoun / Name only
What if you get it wrong? For most transgender and non-binary people, what’s most important is that you respect their identity and make an effort to address them as they prefer. So if you make a mistake and use the wrong pronoun or name, the best thing to do is apologize and then use the correct one.
Homophobia - prejudice or discrimination against individuals based on their sexual orientation.
Transphobia- Prejudice or discrimination against individuals based on their gender identity an/or gender expression.
An Intersectional Understanding - The experience at the intersection of race, socioeconomic status, ability status, neurodiversity, ethnicity, generational status, and queerness highlights how living with multiple marginalized identities often intensified the impact, frequency and severity of harm experienced.
To be an Ally - An ally is a person that does not identify as 2SLGBTQIA+ but supports and advocates for 2SLGBTQIA+ individuals and helps to bring awareness to the impact of heterosexism and transphobia and strives to help create safer spaces for the 2SLGBTQIA+ community.