Awareness Glossary

The term ableism comes from the English word ‘able’ and describes a type of discrimination against people with disabilities in which these people are reduced to their physical or cognitive impairments. Ableism is expressed in various ways, for example through exaggerated care (when a person is helped without first being asked or giving their consent), making disability a taboo subject or excluding people with disabilities from various areas in society. One example is, for instance, a lack of accessibility at various places of daily and public life that prevents participation and equal opportunities.

In order to prevent ableism, the Office of Equality and Diversity has compiled several tips for dealing with people with disabilities and drawn up a handout on inclusive language (only available in German).

Sources: Aktiv gegen Diskriminierung; Awareness Akademie

Accessibility is a concept that aims to make all areas of daily life accessible to everyone without having to rely on the assistance of others. In particular, people with disabilities have difficulty participating equally in society when faced with barriers. Barriers are found for instance in buildings, public areas, apartments, workplaces, on transport, or when accessing services or information. Accessibility therefore means providing ramps, elevators, interpreters for sign language or information in plain language. As it is barely possible to achieve full accessibility in all areas, sometimes the caveat as accessible as possible is used.

For accessibility at FAU, see Inclusion at FAU.

Source: Awareness Akademie

AGG is an abbreviation that stands for the German “Allgemeines Gleichbehandlungsgesetz”, in English: General Act on Equal Treatment. This is an act passed by the German federal government in 2006 to prevent or to stop discrimination on the grounds of race or ethnic origin, gender, religion or belief, disability, age or sexual orientation.

All-gender toilets or gender-neutral toilets can be used by people of all gender identities. They are a means of recognizing a person’s right to personal freedom in terms of their gender, counteracting discrimination based on gender identity and increasing the acceptance of diversity in society. As well as offering a safe place for queer people, they can also be advantageous for families with children or people accompanied by an assistant of another gender. Gender-neutral toilets are standard in many locations, for example in trains or airplanes.

A list giving all the locations of all-gender toilets at FAU is available from the Students’ Representatives or the Office of Equality and Diversity.

Ally or allies refers to individuals or groups of people who seek solidarity with marginalized or discriminated groups and use their privileges to support them and break through existing power dynamics. These people are not affected by the discrimination experienced by the (group of) people they are allied with.  They express solidarity going beyond their own interests and affiliations.

Sources: IDA-NRW; Awareness Akademie

Anti-Muslim racism refers to a type of discrimination that is aimed against Muslim or supposedly Muslim people, regardless of whether and in what form they practice Islam. Unlike Islamophobia or hostility towards Muslims, the term anti-Muslim racism does not only refer to hostility towards the groups in question but also to structural discrimination and the (at times unconscious) differentiation between Muslim and non-Muslim people, and is therefore to be preferred from an anti-racist perspective.

People are marked as being Muslim due to external traits, and are considered fundamentally and irrefutably different. Anti-Muslim racism therefore derives a religious and cultural affiliation from an apparently ethnic background. ‘German’ is seen as being analogous with ‘Christian’, and conversely ‘Muslim’ cannot be ‘German’. Other negative ascriptions are associated with this, for example, the Muslim religion or culture is described as sexist, antisemitic, violent, against democracy or trans– and queerphobic. Anti-Muslim racism is also used to justify social inequalities or exclusion.

This form of discrimination can be found as a form victim blaming in pejorative portrayals of Muslim people in the media and in public discussions, but is also expressed in a day to day context in the form of verbal, physical and sexualized violence as well as in discriminatory structures.

Sources: IDA-NRW; Bundeszentrale für politische Bildung; Amadeu Antonio Foundation

Racism against Roma and Sinti is also known as anti-Tsiganism, antigypsyism or Romaphobia. Those affected have different opinions on the various terms. In general, the preferred term in Germany is anti-Tsiganism (in German: “Antiziganismus”), as unlike Romaphobia this makes it clearer that those affected are not members of a homogeneous group, but instead have been construed in this way by society on the basis of discrimination. This term is open to criticism, however, as it includes and repeats the pejorative German term “Zi.”. This entails the danger of continuing to legitimize and disseminate this foreign designation. As an alternative, activists and academics have suggested the term Gadje-racism. This points out that this racism and discrimination comes from outside and includes all affected groups, regardless of their self-designation.

Anti-Tsiganism is based on a long history of mistrust towards people with no fixed abode, who are allegedly all criminals. Together with the stereotypical and erroneous image of Roma and Sinti as non-settled, it leads to the rejection and discrimination of this group of people.

Faced with discrimination, the affected people often retreat from society, and experience difficulties obtaining education, employment and accommodation, in other words in participating in society in general. At the same time, the difficult economic situation of this group of people has already been influenced by the discrimination they have faced over the centuries. This also indicates the connection between classism and racism.

Sources: European Network Against Racism; Amadeu Antonio Foundation; IDA-NRW

Antifeminism takes a stance against feminist approaches to gender and sexual equality and self-determination and against all efforts to gain emancipation and implement equal opportunities. Some of the topics criticized by anti-feminism include:

• Policies concerning women, equal opportunities and the queer community
• General feminist concerns such as combating sexism, misogyny, and transphobia
• Encouraging gender and physical diversity and self-determination
• Gender-sensitive language
• Measures to protect against gender-based violence

Antifeminist activists specifically focus on structures and institutions that encourage sexual and gender diversity and health, e.g chairs for gender studies, equal opportunity and counseling services, and projects aimed at education and prevention. However, increasingly marginalized and politically active people are becoming the target of antifeminist attacks in the real and digital worlds.

Antifeminist statements and debates focus on the allegedly biologically determined relation between the genders, in which there is only ‘female’ and ‘male’, and a refusal to recognize queer gender identities or trans people. This also leads to a stereotypical understanding of roles that assigns particular traits and types of behavior to ‘women’ and ‘men’; see misogyny, sexism and patriarchy. Antifeminism is particularly rife in right-wing extremist, right-wing populist and religious fundamentalist ideologies. However, allegedly liberal or conservative positions may also harbor antifeminist ideologies and behavior. Rejecting sexual and gender diversity and pluralist lifestyles is an element that links various antifeminist movements. Furthermore, from an ideological point of view there are close links to other forms of discrimination towards certain groups of people such as racism, antisemitism, ableism, classism or lookism.

Since 2023, the Amadeu Antonio Foundation’s Anti-Feminism Reporting Office (only available in German) has offered the opportunity to submit anti-feminist incidents and contribute to the documentation and visualization of anti-feminism.

Source: antifeminismus-melden.de

According to the definition of the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance (IHRA), antisemitism is a certain perception of Jews, which may be expressed as hatred toward Jews. Rhetorical and physical manifestations of antisemitism are directed toward Jewish or non-Jewish individuals and/or their property, toward Jewish community institutions and religious facilities.

The rejection of Jewish people or hatred of Judaism is manifested in words and actions. This includes physical violence against Jewish people, but also the desecration of Jewish cemeteries, attacks on Jewish institutions or synagogues, and antisemitic graffiti. One common expression of antisemitism is the accusation that Jewish people are conspiring to harm humanity. Crises, conflicts or misunderstood phenomena are assigned to a construed Jewish collective.  These claims are not based on any factual evidence whatsoever, but their simplicity and their clearcut attribution of blame make them attractive, as no matter what happens, “the Jews are to blame”. Antisemitism may also be expressed against the state of Israel, if this is understood as the Jewish collective. Another common form of antisemitism is using the word ‘Jew’ as an insult or denying or downplaying the Holocaust. For further examples of antisemitism please refer to IHRA or the  Jerusalem Declaration on Antisemitism (2021).

The general public tends to associate antisemitism with right-wing extremism or Muslim communities, but it can be found throughout all classes of society, educational backgrounds and political leanings. It is a phenomenon that affects the whole of society. Equating Islam or Muslim people with antisemitism is another form of discrimination (see anti-Muslim racism).

Sources: IDA-NRW; Amadeu Antonio Foundation

In this context, awareness is defined as being aware of and paying attention to situations in which behavior that oversteps the line or violates boundaries occurs. Awareness aims to raise consciousness and to prevent all forms of (sexualized) harassment, discrimination and violence. In the cultural sector, awareness is often expressed through awareness teams at events or through bookings that are more diverse. Here at FAU our aim is to actively shape a safe and appreciative university culture with equal opportunities for all. This includes:

• Awareness of power relationships and preventing the abuse of power
• Awareness of verbal forms of (sexualized) harassment, discrimination and violence
• Awareness of structural and institutional forms of discrimination
• Raising awareness through further training, self-analysis and self-reflection on how to deal with biases

To this end, a handout was developed that supplements existing measures and concepts (e.g. General Act on Equal Treatment (in German: AGG), the FAU equality concept, the Diversity concept and FAU’s Guidelines on preventing and dealing with cases of discrimination, harassment and sexual harassment).

The English word bias is used to refer to prejudices or one-sided views. Unconscious bias refers to implicit cognitive misperceptions that individuals are not even aware of. These misperceptions can lead to discrimination as they express themselves in judgments, in making decisions or in individual actions. No one is free from bias, even if many people believe that their own statements, assessments and actions are objective and fair. An important step towards dealing with these biases is to become aware of them and to check to what extent your own assessments and actions are influenced by unconscious bias.

Sources: IDA-NRW; University of Cologne

Bullying is when one or several people are subjected repeatedly and over a long period to negative actions of another person or group of people and are deliberately harmed as a result. Bullying often involves an imbalance of power. The bullies are often in a position of power and can therefore regularly and systematically exploit their power over people who have less power. Bullying may be expressed by humiliating or demeaning actions, harassment, and even criminal acts. Anyone can find themselves the target of bullying, and it can be found in all areas of life. At work, it may be between members of staff, but it may also come from superiors. This may lead to those affected resigning, risking unemployment and a loss of earnings, or even having to enter early retirement.

Anyone affected by bullying ought to urgently seek professional help and advice as soon as possible. At FAU, members of staff can consult the Staff Council (only available in German), or turn to the Office of Equality and Diversity for initial or referral advice.

Further information on the legal situation in the case of harassment or violence at the workplace is available from the Federal Ministry of Labour and Social Affairs, for example on the Act against Violence and Harassment at Work (Gesetz über die Beseitigung von Gewalt und Belästigung in der Arbeitswelt, only available in German).

Sources: Aktiv gegen Diskriminierung; Bavarian Ministry of Education

Classism is the discrimination of people due to their (alleged) education and economic and social background. This discrimination affects people who are perceived as being poor or uneducated due to their clothing, their behavior or their knowledge. The affected people are stigmatized, ostracized and excluded from accessing resources in society.

Classism is often connected to other types of diversity (see intersectionality), for example racism: having English or French as a second language is seen as an admirable skill, while having Turkish or Polish as a second language is looked down upon or ignored altogether. Furthermore, the claim that poverty is not a reason to migrate demonstrates that racism and classism are closely entangled.

Especially in higher education, people from lower classes encounter certain hurdles and challenges due to their social background and education. Usually these are students who are the first in their family to study at a university or who come to university after second chance education. This is why FAU also takes social background and education into account within the context of its diversity strategy. Information about networking, events and specific strategies at FAU.

Sources: IDA-NRW; Amadeu Antonio Foundation

Compensation for disadvantages at university are measures aimed at compensating for difficulties faced by students with disabilities, chronic illnesses or other long-lasting health conditions during their studies and examinations. The achievement goals stipulated in the relevant degree program and examination regulations remain the same. Compensation for disadvantages is aimed at ensuring that students with disabilities are able to complete their achievements under appropriate conditions and with equal opportunities. For this reason, compensation for disadvantages is also tailored to each individual student and situation, taking into consideration factors such as the effects of the disability and the subject studied.

Further information is available at Compensation for disadvantages at FAU.

Within the context of awareness work, consent differentiates consensual intercourse from sexual harassment, discrimination and violence. In the case of consent, all parties involved decide to participate in sexual activities freely and without coercion and can choose to stop at any time. One important prerequisite for consent is that all people are capable of giving their consent. People who are unconscious or sleeping are not capable of giving consent- This can also be affected by alcohol or other drugs. In higher education, it is particularly worth noting that power and dependency relations may also have a negative effect on someone’s ability or freedom to say no.

Source: Awareness Akademie

The term cultural appropriation describes a process in which individual elements from one culture are taken out of their actual social, cultural or spiritual context and are incorporated into another culture. Cultural appropriation is based on the different positions of power in the respective cultures. The culture, which is appropriated, tends to have a lower social and cultural status, have fewer resources and be affected by discrimination. Conversely, the culture that appropriates something tends to be the dominant society and can profit financially and symbolically from cultural appropriation.

A topical example is yoga. The philosophical teaching originates from India and constitutes far more than the sport and fitness elements practiced in Western countries for their health benefits. While people perceived as Indian are the target of racism and discrimination in Western countries, White people dominate today’s world of yoga for their own monetary or social benefit.

A further example involves wearing certain symbols for which a colonized population was punished and which can still lead to discrimination and othering today. This is the case, for example, with hairstyles of people of color, some of whom are still looked down on and subject to racism, but are now being adopted uncritically by descendants of the colonial powers, ignorant of the historical and current dimensions.

Source: IDA-NRW; Susanne Peters (2020)

The definition of disability according to the Act on Equal Opportunities of Persons with Disabilities, in German “Behindertengleichstellungsgesetz” (BGG): Persons are considered to have a disability if it is highly probable that their physical or intellectual ability or mental health will deviate from that which is generally expected for their age for a period of more than six months, thereby affecting their ability to participate in society.

The definition in the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities makes it clear that barriers in infrastructure or society make it difficult for people with disabilities to fully participate: “Persons with disabilities include those who have long-term physical, mental, intellectual or sensory impairments which in interaction with various barriers may hinder their full and effective participation in society on an equal basis with others” (Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities, Article 1). In addition to the term disability, the term impairment can be used to refer to other issues such as chronic illnesses that can also have a negative effect on access to education or daily life at work or university. Therefore, FAU offers advice and assistance for students with disabilities or chronic illnesses.

Discrimination is the less favorable treatment of people without objective justification on the basis of a protected characteristic or a protected social category, such as gender, ethnic origin and racial attributions, age, disability or chronic illness, sexual identity, religion or belief, or social origin or status (Section 1, General Act on Equal Treatment, in German: AGG ). When determining whether or not discrimination has taken place, it is the outcome which counts, and not the motive or whether or not it was intentional (e.g. thoughtlessness, general administrative procedures, etc.). (Leitfaden Diskriminierungsschutz an Hochschulen; only available in German).

Source: Office of Equality and Diversity

Examples of the most common types of discrimination:

• Racism
• Sexism
• Anti-Muslim racism
• Ableism
• Antisemitism
• Anti-Tsiganism
• Homophobia
• Transphobia
• Queerphobia
• Classism
• Lookism (further information, only available in German)
• Ageism (further information, only available in German)

Since late 2018, intersex people in Germany have been able to select the third gender option “diverse” in their ID card. The third option “diverse” is offered in addition to “male” and “female”. However, people who do not yet meet the criteria for the third option, for example transgender or non-binary people, may apply for an additional ID card, an “Ergänzungsausweis” (only available in German) from dgti e.V. This additional ID card is known and accepted by all ministries of the interior, the police and other authorities, as well as banks, universities, insurance companies and other offices. It therefore serves to prevent discrimination in the authorities.

Source: Awareness Akademie; dgti e.V.

Diversity is a concept originating from the US American civil rights’ movement aimed at recognizing diversity, abolishing discrimination and encouraging the participation of all groups in society (University of Konstanz).

Diversity describes the differences and similarities between individuals as stated in the General Act on Equal Treatment (gender, national/ethnic origin, religion or belief, disability, age and sexual identity), with the addition of social background within the context of educational establishments. FAU believes promoting a positive attitude towards diversity and taking a constructive approach is the responsibility of the university community as a whole. Increasing diversity among students and staff is welcomed at FAU as an opportunity and a valuable resource. Individuals are encouraged to develop their unique potential without constraints. Please also refer to Diversity at FAU.

Equal opportunities is a socio-political principle that demands that everyone has the right to the same opportunities in society, in education and at work (cf. bpb – Das Politlexikon).

FAU strives to offer fundamental equal opportunities for all, offering everyone the same chances of success and focusing on both results and objectives. The different requirements and circumstances of different people that may lead to disadvantages in conjunction with societal and institutional frameworks and structures are met with (positive) measures in order to ensure that disadvantaged and under-represented groups have the same starting point and the same chances of success (cf. Equal opportunity concept for academic affairs 2018-2022, page 7.)

Further information on equal opportunities at FAU.

The term feminism refers to movements that strive for improvements for people aimed perceived as women. The aim is to achieve the same rights and opportunities and the same appreciation as men. The term feminism is further subdivided into the political and social theory that focuses on the construed differences and inequalities between genders, and social movements that fight against the patriarchy, misogyny and sexism and for equal opportunities for women.

Over time, different feminist movements have developed across various countries, advocating different values, aims and approaches. Originating in the USA in the mid 1990s, criticism grew against a too White, too eurocentrical feminism as the various experiences of discrimination from women across the world were reduced to universal feminist theories. Upon the initiative of the African American feminist and lyricist Audre Lorde, Katharina Oguntoye and Katja Kinder formed the first organized Black women’s movement in Germany.

The intersectional approach from the USA places a greater focus on construction and distinction into categories such as man/woman or Black/White and ultimately also considers queer gender identities in feminism. Queer feminism criticizes previous feminist movements for failing to deconstruct the binary, patriarchal and hierarchical gender system, although it is the original source of the discrimination of people perceived as women and thus discriminates against gender identities outside the binary system. Queer feminist movements follow an intersectional perspective that also takes racism, classism and other types of discrimination into account. In contrast, TERFs (“trans-exclusionary radical feminists”) take an anti-trans position by denying the existence of other gender identities, in particular of transgender people. For example, they do not recognize a trans woman as a woman, but rather they continue to view them as a man and as a threat to women.

The terms feminism or feminist are used in a derogatory manner by some groups to discredit certain people or groups of people who claim male privilege or inequality and demand change (see antifeminism).

Source: IDA-NRW; Digitales Deutsches Frauenarchiv; frauenseiten.bremen

The abbreviation FLINTA* stands for Female, Lesbian, Intergender, Non-binary, Trans and Agender people, while the asterisk stands for all other gender identities or sexual orientations that do not correspond to society’s norms. This term refers to the people discriminated against in the patriarchy who are often affected by sexism, and is also often used to define which people are welcome in certain rooms or to certain events (e.g. FLINTA* toilets or FLINTA* party). FLINTA* should not be used as synonymous with women or people who identify as women, as this would wrongly exclude other gender identities. It is also possible to use the acronym without the L for lesbian, i.e. FINTA*, if it is to refer exclusively to gender identities.

Sources: Awareness Akademie; Queer Lexikon

The term gaslighting originates from psychology. This term defines a type of psychological violence in which people deliberately manipulate the self-perception of another person and unsettles them to such an extent that they can no longer distinguish between truth and appearance.

In a political context, this term describes a strategy pursued by political stakeholders of presenting obvious lies as the truth in order to deflect attention from their own person or to discredit their opponents. This can lead to victim blaming. (cf. IDA-NRW)

Gatekeeping describes the situation when people in positions of authority decide whether and which people are to be granted access to information, resources or rooms. For example, people are excluded as a result of their affiliations or are required to dress or behave in a certain way in order to gain access.

Sources: Awareness Akademie; Queer Lexikon

The term gender refers to social gender in contrast to physical gender (‘sex’) that is assigned to a person at birth. Gender therefore means the socially, culturally, or societally constructed gender roles and prevalent notions of femininity and masculinity. This emphasizes the fact that our understanding of gender is not something natural, or determined by biology, but rather it is based on historical developments, which manifest in cultural traditions and social conventions, but is also subject to constant flux and change. Physical gender, or sex, is also connected to cultural notions that are by no means set in stone, as our understanding of the body continues to evolve.

Important terms concerning gender and sex:

• AFAB and AMAB are both acronyms and indicate which of the binary sexes assigned a person was assigned at birth. AFAB stands for ‘assigned female at birth’. AMAB stands for ‘assigned male at birth’ (cf. AFAB and AMAB in the Queer Lexikon).
• Trans* is an umbrella term referring to various people who do not identify with the gender assigned to them at birth (cf. Federal Anti-Discrimination Agency).
• Cis is the opposite of trans, and defines a person who feels that they belong to the gender identity they were assigned at birth (cf. Queer Lexikon).
• Intersexual or inter* people have features of both male and female bodies. Their appearance may often be perceived as a mixture of genders. The term intersexual may, however, also refer to a person’s gender identity. The term inter* is used as an umbrella term that is intended to include the diverse range of intersexual realities and physical traits (cf. Federal Anti-Discrimination Agency).
• A binary gender system is based on the premise that there are only two genders: male and female. Other gender identities, physical traits or intermediate stages are denied and scorned in spite of scientific findings to the contrary (cf. Büro zur Umsetzung von Gleichbehandlung; Queer Lexikon). From a legal perspective, Germany recognizes three gender options. As well as male and female, people can choose to have diverse entered as their gender on their ID card.
• Non-binary is a gender identity used by people who locate themselves to outside, between or in both of the binary categories ‘woman’ and ‘man’. The term non-binary is also used to refer to agender or gender fluid people (cf. Queer Lexikon).
• The wording “read as [female, trans, male, queer,…] can be used to differentiate that Person A ascribes person B to a certain gender in their own perception, but does not claim to know which gender identity Person B identifies with. This wording often prevents misgendering.
• Agender is a self-designation used by people who do not feel as if they belong to any gender, cannot relate to the concept of gender, or have no gender (cf. Queer Lexikon).
• Gender fluid is a term people use to refer to themselves if their gender identity changes over a certain period of time or in different situations. Their gender may change within binary categories, or for example from male to non-binary to agender (cf. Queer Lexikon)
• Queer is an umbrella term for gender identities or sexual orientations that do not correlate with society’s heteronormative and binary standards.

Sources: IDA-NRW; Amadeu Antonio Foundation; Queer Lexikon

Gender neutrality describes the idea that people must not be treated differently in terms of language, by authorities or by the law based on their gender identity. Gender-neutral wording (see gender-sensitive language) or infrastructure (such as all-gender toilets) can help reduce discrimination.

Source: Awareness Akademie

The aim of gender-sensitive language is to address and include all people, irrespective of their gender identity. There are various approaches with varying degrees of effectiveness.

Friedrich-Alexander-Universität is bound to the General Rules of Procedure for Authorities in the Free State of Bavaria (AGO), amended with effect from April 1, 2024, that prohibits the use of special characters for expressing gender-sensitive language (as is common in German) in official correspondence and official language used by the authorities. Gender-neutral wording without special characters and naming both male and female options is still allowed. Who is affected by this change and who is not can be found in the following handout from FAU (only available in German, as it does not concern English language). In addition, the Office of Equality and Diversity has published recommendations for using gender-sensitive language (only available in German, as it does not concern English language).

One disadvantage of naming only the male and female versions of the word is that this refers exclusively to the female and male gender, although a third gender, diverse, has been legally recognized in the Federal Republic of Germany since late 2018. Gender-neutral formulations in German (e.g. “employees”) or gendering with special characters (“Mitarbeiter:innen”, “Mitarbeiter_innen”, “Mitarbeiter*innen”) counteract an exclusive and binary use of language as in the exclusive naming of male and female version (“Mitarbeiterinnen und Mitarbeiter”).

For this reason, various institutions or groups advocate the use of special characters in the German language, for example the Office for Monitoring Accessible Information Technology (Überwachungsstelle des Bundes für Barrierefreiheit in der Informationstechnik – BFIT-Bund):

BFIT-Bund agrees with experts’ views and in accordance with their responsibilities under Section 8 BITV, they recommend using gender-sensitive language, in particular the gender asterisk (cf. Überwachungsstelle des Bundes für Barrierefreiheit in der Informationstechnik, 2021: Empfehlung zu gendergerechter, digital barrierefreier Sprache, p.15.)

Furthermore, there are also positions that attribute relevance to gender-sensitive language in terms of professional evaluation, for instance the Freie Universität Berlin:

From a professional perspective, for example, the (linguistic) consideration of gender diversity can represent a professional performance criterion in some contexts. For example, the degree program in Primary Education teaches students academic knowledge and practical skills needed to educate and transfer knowledge to children. As children are diverse both as regards gender and other social categories, taking this diversity into account during practical teaching (also with respect to the language used) ought to be considered a core skill. In this case, using gender-sensitive language could be a relevant criterion for assessing performance (cf. Freie Universität Berlin, accessed: December 2023).

Heteronormativity is the term used to describe the idea that there is a natural, binary gender system, that heterosexual desire is the norm and that there are specific role models for women and men. Groups of people who identify with a gender or sexuality outside of this norm are seen as deviating from the norm and are devalued, excluded and discriminated against on this basis. The terms LGBTQIA* or queer include those groups of people who do not correspond with heteronormativity.

Sources: IDA-NRW; Büro zur Umsetzung von Gleichbehandlung

Homophobia describes discrimination of people based on their sexual orientation. This term is criticized, as the word “phobia” stands for an anxiety disorder. However, homophobic people are not afraid, but have an aversion and hostility against homosexual people. This is why “Homofeindlichkeit” and not “Homophobie” is used in German. There is no suitable equivalent in English yet, which is why we continue to use the term homophobia here.

Homosexual sexuality or love has always existed in humans and the animal world. However, heterosexuality is viewed as the ‘normal’ and ‘natural’ form in many societies, religions and other groups. In Germany, criminalization and persecution of gay and bisexual men was still legitimized in the German Criminal Code until 1994, and marriage was not opened up to lesbian and gay partners until 2017. Homosexual couples still face hurdles in German adoption law. These are examples of structural homophobia, but those affected also experience physical, verbal and other forms of violence due to their sexuality.

Sources: Lesben- und Schwulenverband; Bundeszentrale für politische Bildung; Aktiv gegen Diskriminierung

The term inclusion means that all people belong in a society as a matter of course, are accepted and can participate in a self-determined way. In order to reach this goal, barriers must be reflected on and reduced and the discrimination or exclusion of certain groups of people must be abolished. An inclusive university not only guarantees the participation of people with disabilities, but also of other members of society who are affected by discrimination while considering their individual needs.

Further information on the measures at FAU is available at Inclusion at FAU.

Sources: Leibniz University Hannover; Awareness Akademie

The term intersectionality stems from the term intersection, meaning a crossing or a junction. Concerning diversity, this describes the interaction of various discrimination categories. It does not involve adding together various types of discrimination, but rather refers to the analysis of their interactions, in other words the specific effects of multiple forms of discrimination on individuals and structures.

Sources: Leibniz University Hannover; University of Konstanz

The acronym LGBTQIA* stands for: Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Trans, Queer, Inter, Asexual. The gender asterisk refers to all other gender identities or sexual orientations that do not correspond to society’s norms. The term is also a synonym for queer and raises awareness of the concept of heteronormativity.

Source: University of Konstanz

Mansplaining describes the situation when a man explains something to people they have read as feminine without being asked and in a condescending manner. The man who mansplains often ignores the knowledge and expertise of the person in question, as he denies them these skills because of their gender. Mansplaining is therefore an expression of patriarchal, misogynous and sexist communication.

Sources: Awareness Akademie; Frauenseiten Bremen

Marginalization is a social process in which individuals or certain groups of individuals are forced to the margins of society. Those affected can only participate in economic, geographical, social or cultural life to a limited extent or not at all. Marginalization often goes hand in hand with discrimination and is closely related to power relations. The further groups or individuals are to the margins of society, the less power they have and the more discrimination they experience.

Source: Diversity Arts Culture

The term microaggression describes commonplace and subtle actions and communication, directed at marginalized people. Microagressions mark the people in question as ‘different’, they are seen as deviating from the norm in society, stereotyped or, at times, demeaned and excluded. This concept attempts to underline that not only visible physical violence counts towards experience of discrimination, but also subtle, repeated, deliberate or inadvertent behavior. One example of microaggression is everyday racism, which manifests itself towards BIPoC (short for Black People, Indigenous People and People of Color) in Germany including the following: people touching their hair without asking first, complimenting their German language skills, asking where they come from or automatically using the informal “du” form in German.

Sources: University of Cologne; IDA-NRW; Spektrum

Misgendering is when a person is assigned to the incorrect gender. That may happen inadvertently, for example due to ignorance, or deliberately, as a devaluation or rejection. Often it involves choosing the wrong form of address ‘Sir/Madam’ or using the wrong pronouns. This mostly affects trans or non-binary people.

Source: Awareness Akademie

Misogyny stems from Ancient Greek and refers to contempt or hatred against women. The female gender is assigned less value than the male gender. Women are subordinated to men. Misogyny can be found in all areas of life, from personal to societal levels, and appears in various forms and in varying degrees. People of all genders, no matter whether female, male or diverse, may have internalized misogyny through their social upbringing, resulting in a hostile attitude towards women.

Source: Frauenseiten Bremen

Othering refers to a process that is intended to mark certain people as ‘different’, or ‘other’. Characteristics such as appearance, clothing, language skills etc. are taken as the reason for this. The basis for this process is juxtaposing your ‘own’ group as ‘us’ with the ‘others’ as ‘them’. This division also goes hand in hand with a hierarchization in which the ‘other’ is presented in an openly negative or exoticizing way as supposedly positive, but is always subordinated to the dominant society and classified as not belonging. Othering thus prevents those affected from participating in society on an equal standing to others, leading to marginalization and discrimination.

Source: IDA-NRW

Participation is understood as the involvement of individuals in an organization, social group, or society in decision-making processes, with the aim of influencing decision-making (cf. University of Duisburg-Essen).

FAU’s mission for equal opportunities therefore also covers facilitating participation by breaking down barriers and preventing discrimination. This is aimed at ensuring that as many people as possible are able to participate in and actively shape university life. Further information is available under Equal opportunities at FAU.

In general, patriarchy refers to the dominant position of men in various areas, in the family, in society and in politics. In this set up, the power, decision-making and privileges lie with the male gender. It is connected to discrimination against the female gender or misogyny.

Source: Metzler Lexikon Philosophie

Power refers to the ability of those in power to impose and implement their own objectives irrespective of the agreement, willingness or opposition of others. Power also describes relationships of dependency or superiority. These are always two-sided relationships in which one side has the power (e.g. the ability to award or punish) and exert influence (e.g. using incentives or knowledge) and the other side accepts this without objecting or resisting, or is even forced to tolerate or comply. A differentiation is made between personal, social and structural power, as it is not only exerted by individual people but also by groups, organizations (parties, organizations, authorities), the state or structures in society.

Abuse of power involves exploiting a position of power in order to harm or discriminate against others or obtain personal advantages for oneself. One form of the abuse of power is bullying.

Source: bpb – Das Politlexikon

An important principle of awareness work is that the power of definition always lies with the person affected and not with the person perpetrating the violence.

That means that violence is anything defined or named as such by an affected person. The affected person decides what constitutes a violation of boundaries in their case. At the same time, after boundaries have been violated, it is important to be guided by the wishes and needs of the affected person and to offer support within this context.

Source: Awareness Akademie

A privilege exists when individuals or certain groups of people have advantages or privileges over others due to certain characteristics that correspond to the social norm, whether consciously or unconsciously. Privileges therefore contribute to various forms of inequality within society. In Germany, White, male, heterosexual, Christian or rich people without disabilities have advantages over other characteristics. One individual can have several privileges, just one, or none at all.

One way of appreciating which privileges you have is to take this privilege test: Privilege Self-Assessment Tool.

Source: University of Konstanz

In languages, personal pronouns are used to replace names already mentioned and to talk about ourselves, someone, or something else. In German, there exists no gender-neutral alternative to the binary pronouns he/him/his (in German: er/sein/ihm/ihn) and she/her/hers (in German: sie/ihr/ihr/sie), such as they/them/their in English or hen in Swedish. Gender-neutral pronouns are an important part of gender-sensitive language. In order to avoid being addressed as male or female, non-binary people opt in German for newly developed forms of gender-neutral pronouns. Here is a small selection:

• dey and they: Many people use the Germanized version dey of the English pronoun they. The declension is often formed analogously to the English form, i.e. dey/deren/demm/demm or also dey/deren/dem/dem. Another alternative is dey/deren/dey/dey.
• hen: This pronoun was transferred from Swedish and is becoming more common in German. One of the most commonly used declensions is: hen/hens/hem/hen or also hen/hens/hen/hen.
• en: The Verein für geschlechtsneutrales Deutsch e.V. proposes the basic form of the general gender-neutral pronoun en (pronounced so that it rhymes with the German “wenn” and not with “zehn”). This form is justified by the fact that, like the existing German pronouns es and er, it is based on the “e+consonant” pattern and sounds like the Swedish gender-neutral pronoun hen. This form is very easy to pronounce for German speakers, as the syllable “-en” can be found in many German words. The declension should be done as such: en/ens/em/en.
• sier and xier: Some people use sier or xier as a fusion of the German pronouns sie and er. sier and the declension sier/sies/siem/sien were criticized for sounding too much like sie, so xier/xies/xiem/xien was developed accordingly.
• No use of pronouns: Some people choose not to use personal pronouns at all. In this case, the first name is used instead of pronouns.

There are other forms of gender-neutral pronouns and different declension variants. The variety and seeming lack of clarity reflect the complex development and decision-making process for gender-neutral pronouns in the German language. Many people are initially unsure or unclear about how to address the other person correctly. A good solution is to ask discreetly and respectfully which pronouns with which declension are preferred. As with the process of learning a foreign language, repeated practice of using gender-neutral pronouns leads to them being used more confidently and easily and prevents misgendering.

Sources: Verein für geschlechtsneutrales Deutsch e.V.; Awareness Akademie

Queer is usually used as an umbrella term for gender identities or sexual orientations that do not correspond to society’s heteronormative norms. This therefore includes all categories other than male, female or heterosexual. LGBTQIA* is also used as a synonym. For a long time, queer was often used in a derogatory fashion, in particular with reference to gay men. Nowadays, it has not only been embraced by the queer community, but is also used to refer to a theoretical approach and an interdisciplinary field of study in academia: Queer studies.

Source: Queer Lexikon

One synonym for queerphobia is LGBTQIA*-phobia. These terms refer to the discrimination of people whose gender identity or sexual orientation does not correspond to the binary ‘male’ and ‘female’ gender identity or to the heterosexual norm. This type of discrimination therefore also includes transphobia and homophobia. However, queerphobic people are not afraid, but have an aversion and hostility against queer people. This is why “Queerfeindlichkeit” and not “Queerphobie” is used in German. There is no suitable equivalent in English yet, which is why we continue to use the term queerphobia here.

Although queerphobia is often found in right-wing ideologies or religious groups, for example in Christian fundamentalism, it is present in all layers and areas of society as well, just like other forms of discrimination.

Source: Vielfalt-Mediathek

Racial profiling is the practice of targeting individuals based purely on their physical appearance rather than a justified suspicion. The color of their skin or other ethnic or religious features are taken as the basis for checks conducted by police, migration or customs officers or store detectives. Checks conducted purely based on physical appearance rather than a justified suspicion are discriminating, as a person is accused of acting in a criminal manner simply due to their ethnic origin or religious symbols. This leads to non-White people in particular being generally treated with suspicion. (cf. Federal Anti-Discrimination Office).

Racism is the process in which people are assessed in homogeneous groups, classified in hierarchies and ostracized on the basis of actual or alleged physical or cultural characteristics, e.g. skin color, origin, language, religion (cf. “Rassismus” in IDA-NRW). Traditional racism is based on the assumption that certain groups of people are less valuable than others based on alleged biological differences. This is connected to the scientifically untenable and obsolete allegation that there are different human ‘races’ (cf. “Rasse” in IDA-NRW). Being White or non-White is therefore a political and social construction. The term neo-racism no longer focuses on biological determination but rather on insurmountable cultural differences. People are separated into closed and clearly defined collectives whose culture is connected to a certain geographical space (cf. “Neorassismus” in IDA-NRW)

Racism may take one of the following forms:

• Anti-Asian racism became particularly apparent during the COVID-19 pandemic, when people perceived as Asian experienced verbal and physical violence, as well as becoming ostracized. However, this type of racism is nothing new and has a longer history in Germany, with its negative stereotypes still having an effect today (cf. Amadeu Antonio Stiftung).
• Anti-Muslim racism
• In Anti-Black racism, Black people are considered inferior to White people and ostracized. This type of racism is directly linked to European colonization and served as justification for genocide, slavery, exploitation, rape and the violent suppression of people from these areas during the colonization of the African continent. The racist stereotypes from these times are still widespread in Germany today. Instead of the politically acceptable terms used by people in the communities themselves such as Black or BIPoC (short for Black people, Indigenous people and people of color), racist terms coined by others continue to be used in everyday language or, for example, as names for streets, bus stops or pharmacies (cf. Amadeu Antonio Foundation).
• Anti-Slavic racism (for more information see “Antislawischer Rassismus” in IDA-NRW)
• Anti-Tsiganism

All types of racism have in common the fact that those affected are subjected to structural, societal, interactional and intersectional discrimination in their everyday lives. As a result of racism, they may experience mental, verbal, sexualized and physical violence. Exoticizing, a form of othering, often leads to the sexualization of BIPoC, and affects people perceived as male and female alike. The refusal of White people to recognize the racism experienced by BIPoC or to face up to claims of being racist is another example of a discriminating mechanism known as secondary racism (cf. “Sekundärer Rassismus” in IDA-NRW).

At Friedrich-Alexander Universität, Harriet Ziegler is the point of contact for advice in the event of discrimination. Pursuant to Section 6 of the guidelines, she is one of the first points of contact and can provide those affected with initial or referral advice. In 2024, the FAU network Mosaic – Community of PoC, was established, aimed at all staff at FAU affected by experiences of racism within the context of their tasks at the university and in their daily lives with the objective of creating a safer space in the form of monthly, informal meetings.

Sources: Amadeu Antonio Foundation; IDA-NRW

A safe space is a place where people who are marginalized or discriminated against can feel safe, share their experiences of discrimination and exchange views with others. As it is virtually impossible to create absolute security, the term safer space is more appropriate. Safer spaces require us to reflect constantly on structures and processes and on efforts to develop them further.

Sources: IDA-NRW; Awareness Akademie

SBDG is the German abbreviation for (sexual) harassment, discrimination and violence. It covers a variety of unwanted, one-sided behavior with a sexual connotation. SBDG can refer to verbal and non-verbal actions, referring to different ways of exerting power and control. These are in contrast to consent.

Source: University of Leipzig

Sexism refers to all types of discrimination against people due to their (ascribed) gender. It is based on the premise of a binary gender system (female/male) in which the female gender is considered inferior to the male gender. This reflects a parallel to misogyny. As well as a hierarchical order, the genders are also assigned specific allegedly natural characteristics. Accordingly, sexism can affect women and men, as well as non-binary gender identities and those who do not identify with the gender assigned to them at birth.

Sexist stereotypes are reflected in views on character traits, ways of behaving and communicating, body images, clothes or choice of profession. Some examples of these prejudices are:

• “Women must not be loud-mouthed, critical or demanding. A woman’s place is in the kitchen. Women must wear dresses and have long hair. Women must be desirable for men. Women are always emotional. Women are lost when it comes to technology.”
• “Men mustn’t cry or show their feelings. Men are incapable of looking after children. Men drink beer and eat meat.”

People encounter these prejudices in childhood already, reflected for example in toys or media developed exclusively for one of the binary genders. Sexism also has an effect on the legal and economic situation of women, with one topical example being the gender pay gap. However, sexism can also be expressed in actual violence towards people read as feminine, in other words through rape, trafficking of women, sexual discrimination or derogatory language. This type of discrimination therefore not only encompasses direct and indirect discrimination but also discrimination at the structural and societal levels.

Feminist movements aim to reduce or prevent the discrimination experienced by women in particular due to sexism. At Friedrich-Alexander-Universität, striving for equal opportunities for all genders is anchored in FAU’s mission statement regarding equal opportunities and is encouraged and driven forward through the work of the Office of Equality and Diversity. Important instruments in this respect include gender and diversity monitoring, aimed at raising the visibility of inequalities between the genders at university, and promotion strategies or campaigns for raising visibility that also play an important role in combating discrimination.

Sources: IDA-NRW; Amadeu Antonio Foundation

Transphobia refers to discrimination against trans people. Transphobic people are not afraid, but have an aversion and hostility against queer people. This is why “Transfeindlichkeit” and not “Transphobie” is used in German. There is no suitable equivalent in English yet, which is why we continue to use the term transphobia here.

Trans people identify with another gender than the gender assigned to them at birth, change their gender identities, or feel that they either do not belong to any gender or that they belong to several genders. Trans women, trans men, gender fluid or non-binary people can all be victims of transphobia. This form of discrimination can also apply to people who are not trans but who are perceived as being so. Trans people are subjected to massive discrimination, expressed in the form of threats, exclusion, stigmatization, ridicule, insults, but also physical or other violence.

This discrimination is also structural. For instance, transgenderism was incorrectly classified until 2022 in Germany as a mental illness (“Geschlechtsidentitätsstörung”), and changing one’s name, marital status, gender or body is often a lengthy and difficult process for those affected.

At Friedrich-Alexander-Universität, trans students can change their name and title provisionally for internal university purposes even before a change of name or status is approved by a court. Further information is available here.

Sources: Queer Lexikon; Antidiskriminierungsstelle des Bundes

We differentiate between the following types or levels of discrimination:

1. Direct or individual (interactional) level: Behavior towards another person is ostracizing or degrading.
2. Indirect or secondary level: Discrimination occurs in guidelines or measures with neutral wording that does not contain any obvious discrimination, but can be discriminatory to certain groups.
3. Institutional or structural level: Actions of an organization, discrimination due to laws, ordinances, guidelines or institutional routines of the culture of an organization that lead to imbalanced distribution of opportunities.
4. Societal level: Discrimination by means of ideas, names and images. Ideas and images are brought to the University through the creation of knowledge in the form of media, academic literature, teaching units and concepts, but also in everyday discourse (cf. German Federal Anti-Discrimination Agency (Antidiskriminierungsstelle des Bundes) 2014a: 11).
5. Intersectional or multiple discrimination: Discrimination on single grounds is rare in our everyday lives, multiple or inter-sectional discrimination is more common. This means that several characteristics or categories interact and can lead to discrimination.

Source: Office of Equality and Diversity

Victim blaming refers to situations in which the victim is held responsible for behavior that violates the boundaries or that is a criminal offense. Shifting the blame in this way is an attempt to acquit the person responsible and to justify their discriminatory action. One common example concerns the question of which clothes the victims were wearing when the sexualized violence occurred. This suggests that the victims are responsible for the transgression, even though the responsibility always lies with the people acting in a transgressive or discriminatory manner.

Sources: Awareness Akademie; Queer Lexikon

In general, a difference is made between a narrow and a broad definition of violence. The narrow definition only covers actions intentionally directed against the human body and its vulnerability This refers to physical and direct violence. This definition of violence can be expanded to psychological violence, which is usually expressed by language, symbols or images and also targets a person’s vulnerability.

The wider definition of violence also includes structural violence. This refers to social structures that lead to certain groups of people being restricted in the satisfaction of their basic needs. This definition of violence takes into account social hierarchies, asymmetrical positions of power, forms of social marginalization and discrimination as well as the unequal distribution of resources that are related to or responsible for human suffering and death. As these aspects often elude direct and everyday perception, in contrast to physical and psychological violence, the broad concept of violence has the advantage of making these mechanisms visible.

As well as the different approaches to defining the term, a difference is made between various forms of violence:

• Physical violence
• Psychological violence
• Sexualized violence
• Domestic violence
• Patriarchal violence (e.g. forced marriage, forced prostitution, female genital mutilation)
• Digital or cyber violence
• Stalking
• Bullying
• Politically motivated violence
• Organized crime

Sources: Bundesministerium für Familie, Senioren, Frauen  und Jugend; Bayrisches Staatsministerium für Familie, Arbeit und Soziales; Chojnacki, Sven (2019): „Gewalt – eng oder weit? Skizzen einer Kontroverse“

Whataboutism is used to refer to a rhetorical strategy that shifts the focus of an argument deliberately using diversionary tactics. Problems or criticisms are played down by replying with a counter accusation. Whataboutism is, for instance, when discussion of sexualized violence against women is countered with the claim that men also experience sexualized violence.

Sources: Amadeu Antonio Foundation; Frauenseiten Bremen

Xenophobia (or also ‘Fremdenfeindlichkeit’ in German) refers to critical, ostracizing and hostile attitudes and positions towards people and groups that are perceived and defined as ‘foreign’ or ‘not German’. The concept of ‘foreign’ or ‘not German’ is a construct and an arbitrary affiliation that is usually based on skin color, ethnic origin, religion or language and has nothing to do with the actual nationality of the affected person. Nowadays, as the term xenophobia suggests that it refers to ‘foreign’ or ‘non-German’ people, although they have German nationality, the term racism is preferable from a racist-critical perspective.

Sources: Federal Agency for Civic Education; Vielfalt Mediathek; IDA-NRW