Diversity Vocab From Padgett Ch. 6-13

Front 1

African American

Back 1

an individual living in the United State who has African ancestry; although often used interchangeably with black, all black people living in the US are not of African descent. Hyphenate only when using as an adjective.

Front 2

Afro-American

Back 2

archaic term
avoid

Front 3

All American

Back 3

can be offensive when used in a narrow sense meaning "white, blond," etc.

Front 4

AME

Back 4

African Methodist Episcopal Church; independent Methodist church founded in Philadelphia in 1794

Front 5

Biracial

Back 5

an individual who traces his or her heritage to two races; "mixed" is not an acceptable synonym; use only when relevant

Front 6

Black

Back 6

generally the preferred term, unless subject prefers otherwise, when referring to race; use lowercase and only as an adjective: black journalist, black people; however, use only when race is relevant

Front 7

Black diaspora

Back 7

referring to black people of African descent dispersed by way of slavery and colonization throughout the world

Front 8

Black Muslim

Back 8

archaic reference to sect of black Muslims; members prefer to be called Muslims.

Front 9

Civil Rights Act

Back 9

culmination of civil rights movement in the mid-20th century; Congress passed the Civil Rights Act in 1964 and the Voting Rights Act in 1965 guaranteeing basic civil rights to all people regardless of race

Front 10

Colored

Back 10

archaic; use only in historical quotes or referring to organizations, names, or events that still use the term as a part of an official designation

Front 11

Dark continent

Back 11

offensive; avoid as a term referring to Africa

Front 12

Ghetto

Back 12

avoid due to negative connotations; refers to poor inner city

Front 13

Gullah

Back 13

refers to descendants of African slaves living on the barrier islands along the coast of South Carolina, Georgia, and Florida; the Gullah language can still be heard on some of the islands where Gullah culture continues to flourish

Front 14

Inner city

Back 14

avoid this and other stereotypical references to poor communities of color

Front 15

Jack and Jill of America

Back 15

an African-American cultural, social, and civic organization for black children; founded in 1938, currently has over 8000 members

Front 16

Jim Crow laws

Back 16

refers to laws and practices, largely in the South, that imposed racial segregation through the mid-60s

Front 17

Juneteenth

Back 17

June 19, black Emancipation Day, celebration of the end of slavery

Front 18

Kwanzaa

Back 18

African-American cultural holiday, December 26--January 1; derived from traditional African harvest festivals

Front 19

Minority, minorities

Back 19

increasingly viewed as a somewhat negative term because of the unempowered status of most things that are minor or seen in a minority perspective; people of color can be used as an alternative in most instances

Front 20

Mulatto

Back 20

archaic term once used to refer to an individual with one white and one black parent; should be avoided

Front 21

NABJ

Back 21

National Association of Black Journalists. Established in 1975, NABJ is the largest organization of journalists of color in the nation, with more than 4000 members. Its mission is to provide education, career development, and support to black journalists worldwide

Front 22

Negro

Back 22

while still part of some organizational names such as the United Negro College Fund and is acceptable in such references, it should not be used in references to individuals; use black or African-American

Front 23

Niggardly

Back 23

tight or stingy; often viewed with a derogatory connotation because of similarity to N-word; best to avoid

Front 24

Oreo

Back 24

black on the outside, white inside; refers to a black person who acts white; similar to the use of Uncle Tom; should not be used

Front 25

People of color

Back 25

increasingly popular term for describing people of diverse races and ethnicities; also use journalists of color, students of color, etc.

Front 26

Race

Back 26

a classification of humans by skin color & physical characteristics; has little real significance and is generally inappropriate as a means of identifying people

Front 27

Uncle Tom

Back 27

originates from Harriet Beecher Stowe's Uncle Tom's Cabin; a pejorative term referring to a black person who is unnecessarily accommodating to white people or white authority figures

Front 28

Wigger

Back 28

negative term; avoid; white person who takes on the dress, language, etc. of black people; white person who wants to be black

Front 29

Alien

Back 29

negative connotation; do not refer to people as aliens

Front 30

Barrio

Back 30

section of a town or city dominated by Latino residents; like ghetto, it has a negative connotation and should be avoided

Front 31

Central America

Back 31

the land mass between North and South America; between Mexico and Colombia

Front 32

Chicano

Back 32

a popular 60s term for Mexican Americans, particularly on the west coast; not universally accepted and should not be used as an identifier without asking first

Front 33

Cinco de Mayo

Back 33

May 5, a popular celebration having significance for Mexican communities in Mexico & the US; related to the 1862 Battle of Puebla in which Mexican forces defeated a much larger French army; sometimes mislabeled Mexican Independence Day, which is actually Sept. 16

Front 34

Cuban American

Back 34

a citizen of the US with Cuban ancestors; one who came to the US and became naturalized or who is of Cuban descent born in the US

Front 35

Ethnicity

Back 35

group identity based on language and social-cultural background

Front 36

Hispanic

Back 36

term created and used in the 1980 census by US government to describe people from or descended from a Spanish-speaking country; often used interchangeably with Latino; determine an individual's preferred identification when relevant

Front 37

Illegal alien

Back 37

an individual who has entered the country without legal documentation; preferred term is undocumented immigrant

Front 38

Illegal immigrant

Back 38

undocumented worker or undocumented immigrant is preferred

Front 39

La migra

Back 39

slang for Immigration and Naturalization Service (INS)

Front 40

Latin America

Back 40

in its broadest sense applies to all those countries in the New World whose national language is Spanish; as well as Brazil, Haiti, and other Caribbean islands

Front 41

Latino

Back 41

ethnic description; people who are from or who are descended from a Spanish-speaking country; sometimes used interchangeably with Hispanic; when appropriate to use the ethnic identification, use that preferred by the source or subject; note that while Latino refers to men, boys, and mixed gender groups, the correct term for girls and women is Latina

Front 42

Mexican

Back 42

a citizen of Mexico; incorrect when used as a label or Hispanic or Latino people, all of whom are not from Mexico

Front 43

Mexican American

Back 43

a citizen of the US with Mexican ancestors

Front 44

NAHJ

Back 44

National Association of Hispanic Journalists. With 2300 members, NAHJ was founded in 1984 with the mission of improving news coverage of the Hispanic community and to increase the number of Latinos working in American newsrooms

Front 45

Nuyorican

Back 45

someone who is of Puerto Rican descent but who was born and grew up in New York City

Front 46

Permanent resident

Back 46

person with a green card; has legal status to live and work in the US on a permanent basis

Front 47

Spanglish

Back 47

combination of Spanish and English to create new words or sentences that combine words from both languages

Front 48

Tejano, Tejana

Back 48

one of Mexican descent living in Texas

Front 49

AAJA

Back 49

Asian American Journalists Association. Founded in 1981, AAJA is a nonprofit professional and educational organization with 2000 members in 18 chapters across the US and one chapter in Asia. The mission of AAJA is to promote fair and accurate coverage of Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders and to increase the number of them working in journalism

Front 50

Amerasian

Back 50

a person who has both American & Asian parentage; not a synonym for Asian American, which is a term that applies to an individual whose parents are both Asian but who is an American citizen by either birth or naturalization

Front 51

America

Back 51

entire Western Hemisphere, including North, South, and Central America; not solely the US

Front 52

Asian American

Back 52

applies to someone with Asian parents who is a US citizen either by birth or naturalization; some argue that the continued use of the Asian identifier perpetuates the sense of being outsiders regardless of how long their families have been in the US

Front 53

Asian Indian

Back 53

avoid as a means of distinguishing from American Indians; instead, say "people from India" or "Indian americans" when referring to US citizens and permanent residents with Indian ancestry

Front 54

Banana

Back 54

avoid; derogatory term referring to someone who is Asian but acts white; similar to the use of twinkie

Front 55

Chinaman

Back 55

racial slur typically used in a broad sweep to describe anyone of Asian descent; should be avoided

Front 56

Diaspora

Back 56

refers to the dispersion of people of one race who once were concentrated in a single place; the Black Diaspora, for example, refers to black people of African descent throughout the world

Front 57

Eurocentric

Back 57

focusing on Europe or European concerns, often in a "Europe is the center of the world" fashion

Front 58

Executive Order 9066

Back 58

1942 order by FDR, which led to the internment of more than 100,000 Japanese Americans, two-thirds of whom were US citizens, during WWII

Front 59

Hmong

Back 59

ethnic groups inhabiting parts of China, Laos, Thailand, and Vietnam; several thousand Hmong refugees relocated to the US following Vietnam-era fighting in Laos

Front 60

Hyphenated Americans

Back 60

when referring to groups of people by their race or national origin, use the nonhyphenated form; as an adjective, use the hyphen; President Teddy Roosevelt criticized 'hyphenated americans' for not contributing to mainstream America. Consider if its ever necessary to identify people by race or country of origin, particularly those who may have been in America for generations

Front 61

Internment

Back 61

confinement of someone regarded as a security threat; often refers to the confinement of Japanese Americans, many of them American citizens, in concentration camps in WWII

Front 62

Oriental

Back 62

avoid; no longer used when referring to people of Asian descent; use Asian or Asian American

Front 63

Pacific Islander

Back 63

included in the Native Hawaiian and other Pacific Islander category by the US Census Bureau; defined as a person having origins in any of the original peoples of Hawaii, Guam, Samoa, or other Pacific islands.

Front 64

Refugee

Back 64

a person from one country admitted to another because of a fear of persecution; Montagnards, for example, sought refuge in the US because of their fear of persecution in Vietnam

Front 65

SAJA

Back 65

South Asian Journalists Assocation. Founded in 1994, SAJA is a nonprofit organization that provides a networking and resource forum for journalists of South Asian origin and journalists interested in South Asian or the South Asian diaspora. SAJA's mission also includes acting as a resource to facilitate and promote accurate coverage of South Asia and South Asians in North America.

Front 66

Twinkie

Back 66

avoid; derogatory term referring to someone who is Asian but acts white; similar to the use of banana

Front 67

Aboriginal

Back 67

those who have inhabited an area from the earliest known times; indigenous people

Front 68

AIM

Back 68

American Indian Movement; activist organization founded in 1968 to promote civil rights for Native Americans

Front 69

Alaskan Native

Back 69

refers to indigenous people of Alaska

Front 70

Aleuts

Back 70

refers to the indigenous people of the Aleutian Islands and the far western part of the Alaskan Peninsula

Front 71

American Indian

Back 71

interchangeable with Native American; use tribal affiliation depending on the preference of the source in question

Front 72

BIA

Back 72

Bureau of Indian affairs; comprised largely of tribal members, BIA is the federal agency charged with overseeing (enhancing the quality of life, promoting economic opportunity, etc.) the affairs of tribal nations

Front 73

Brave

Back 73

offensive; do not use as a term to describe American Indian males

Front 74

Buck

Back 74

avoid; racial slur historically used to refer to young black or Native American males

Front 75

Eskimo

Back 75

people who inhabit Arctic coastal areas of North America, parts of Greenland, and northeast Siberia; sometimes considered offensive; Inuit can be substituted in most instances, depending on the native language

Front 76

First Nations

Back 76

refers to the indigenous people of North America; usage particularly popular in Canada

Front 77

Half-blood or half-breed

Back 77

avoid; derogatory term, used in the past to refer to an American Indian with mixed heritage

Front 78

NAJA

Back 78

Native American Journalists Association; the mission of NAJA is to help its members become better journalists and serve as a watchdog organization to ensure Native issues are properly reported everywhere

Front 79

Powwow

Back 79

a traditional Native American celebration and social gathering honoring sacred traditions though dancing, singing, and drumming

Front 80

Reservations

Back 80

areas of land reserved by the US government as permanent tribal homelands; only about 12% of Native Americans live on reservations today

Front 81

Sovereign

Back 81

self-governing or independent; free from external control

Front 82

Squaw

Back 82

avoid; not acceptable as a term applying to Native American women

Front 83

Tribe

Back 83

historically, people united by family, language, religion, and political systems; some dislike the term, preferring instead Indian nations, legally recognized as self-governing sovereign entities; others use the two (tribes or nations) interchangeably

Front 84

Warpath

Back 84

avoid this and similar terms (redskins, savages, warriors, braves), which tend to evoke stereotypical images

Front 85

Abayah

Back 85

long robe-like clothing worn by some Arab women; also called jilbab or chador

Front 86

Allah

Back 86

God

Front 87

AMC

Back 87

American Muslim Council; established in 1990 to increase the effective participation of American Muslims in the US political and public policy arenas. The goal of AMC is to promote ethical values that enhance the quality of life for all Americans and to encourage increased participation by American Muslims in mainstream public life

Front 88

Arab

Back 88

a person from an Arabic-speaking country

Front 89

Arab American

Back 89

an individual who descends from an Arabic-speaking country and who is an American citizen either by birth or naturalization. Not all Arab Americans are Muslims; not all Muslims are of Arab descent.

Front 90

Burka

Back 90

loose garment with veiled eyeholes worn by some Muslim women, particularly in India & Pakistan

Front 91

Chador

Back 91

long robe worn by some Arab women as a sign of modesty or hijab

Front 92

Eid Al-Fitr

Back 92

celebration at the end of the Muslim holy month, Ramadan

Front 93

Five Pillars of Islam

Back 93

refers to the sacred expectation of followers of Islam:
-faith in shehada (there is no god but God, and Muhammad is his prophet)
-salat (prayer five times daily)
-sharing of alms with the poor
-fasting during Ramadan
-completing hajj (pilgrimage to Makkah)

Front 94

Hajj

Back 94

pilgrimage to Makkah; all Muslims are expected to make the pilgrimage at least once during their lifetime

Front 95

Hijab

Back 95

modesty, the trait that leads some Arab women to wear robes ad face scarves; also refers to a type of veil or face scarf

Front 96

Imam

Back 96

one who leads prayer at a mosque; leader in an Islamic community; also called a sheik

Front 97

Islam

Back 97

with over 1 billion followers, the Islam religion is the 2nd largest in the world; followers of Islam are Muslims

Front 98

Jihad

Back 98

Arabic term referring to the Islamic concept of the struggle to do good; is not synonymous with Holy War, which is a term used by Muslim extremists

Front 99

Kafiyyeh

Back 99

traditional, nonreligious, checkered head covering worn by some Arab men to exhibit pride in their culture

Front 100

Makkah (preferred) or Mecca

Back 100

birthplace of Muhammad and Islam holy site located in western Saudi Arabia near the Red Sea; millions of Muslims make a pilgrimage there each year

Front 101

Mosque

Back 101

Muslim place of worship

Front 102

Muhhamad

Back 102

preferred over Mohammad; the Muslim prophet and founder of Islam

Front 103

Quran

Back 103

the preferred spelling of the Muslim holy book; do not use Koran

Front 104

Ramadan

Back 104

the ninth month of the Muslim calendar, a month of fasting ending in celebration

Front 105

AIDS

Back 105

Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome, medical condition in which the body's immune system does not adequately combat certain diseases; caused by HIV destruction of white blood cells

Front 106

Bisexual

Back 106

an individual, male or female, who may be attracted to either sex

Front 107

Civil union

Back 107

refers to a legal arrangement between two people of the same sex that provides rights similar to those enjoyed by married couples

Front 108

Closeted

Back 108

a person who is "in the closet" does not wish to share his or her sexual orientation

Front 109

Cross-dresser

Back 109

one who wears clothing usually associated with the opposite sex; not necessarily an indication of sexual orientation. Note that the term transvestite is no longer considered acceptable.

Front 110

Coming out

Back 110

the process of coming out of the closet or making one's sexual orientation known

Front 111

Domestic partners

Back 111

an unmarried couple of the same or opposite sex who live together as partners; may or may not have legal implications depending on state law

Front 112

Down low

Back 112

usually refers to men of color who have sex with other men without the knowledge of their female partners; MSM or "men who have sex with men" is used to convey an equivalent meaning

Front 113

Drag

Back 113

dressing in the clothes of the opposite sex

Front 114

Drag queen

Back 114

usually a male performer who dressed in female clothing for entertainment

Front 115

Dyke

Back 115

avoid; derogatory term for a lesbian. Note that while terms such as dyke, fag, faggot, and queer may be regaining popularity among some individuals, they are still considered extremely offensive when used as an epithet

Front 116

Fag, faggot

Back 116

avoid; derogatory term for a gay male

Front 117

FTM

Back 117

female to male. A transgender person who, at birth or by determination of parents or doctors, has a biological identity of a female but a gender identity of a male. Those who have undergone surgery are sometimes referred to as "post-op FTMs"

Front 118

Gay

Back 118

preferred umbrella term when referring to homosexual men; refer to homosexual women as lesbian; use gay men and lesbians when referring to both men and women; use only when it is appropriate to refer to individuals by their sexual orientation

Front 119

Gay lifestyle

Back 119

should be avoided; being lesbian, gay, bisexual, or transgender is not just a lifestyle that one chooses; it is life.

Front 120

Gender identity

Back 120

an individual's emotional and psychological sense of being male or female. Not necessarily the same as an individual's biological identity

Front 121

Heterosexual

Back 121

refers to people who are attracted to members of the opposite sex

Front 122

HIV

Back 122

human immunodeficiency virus, the virus that causes AIDS

Front 123

Homo

Back 123

pejorative term and is never acceptable

Front 124

Homophobia

Back 124

irrational dislike, fear, or even hatred of people who are gay or lesbian

Front 125

Homosexual

Back 125

refers to people who are attracted to members of the same sex; use lesbian and gay men instead

Front 126

Lesbian

Back 126

the currently preferred term for a female homosexual when it is appropriate to identify an individual by sexual orientation

Front 127

LGBT

Back 127

lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender

Front 128

MSM

Back 128

men who have sex with men. Often used to describe men who secretly have sex with other men while maintaining relationships with women

Front 129

MTF

Back 129

male to female. A transgender person who, at birth or by determination of parents or doctors, has a biological identity of a male but a gender identity of a female. Those who have undergone surgery are sometimes referred to as "post-op MTFs"

Front 130

NLGJA

Back 130

National Lesbian and Gay Journalists Association. Founded in 1990, NLGJA currently has 1300 members. Among its goals are to enhance the professionalism, skills, and career opportunities for lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender journalists, and to strengthen the identity, respect, and status of member journalists in the newsroom and throughout the practice of journalism

Front 131

PFLAG

Back 131

Parents, Families, & Friends of Lesbians & Gays. a national nonprofit organization with over 200,000 members and supporters and over 500 affiliates in the US. PFLAG's mission is to promote the health and well-being of gay, lesbian, bisexual, and transgender persons, their families, and friends

Front 132

Pink triangle

Back 132

symbol of gay pride; gay men were required to wear the label in Nazi concentration camps during WWII

Front 133

Queer

Back 133

has had its ups and downs as a term for gay; once considered pejorative, it is currently being used as an umbrella term by some LGBT people; still best to avoid

Front 134

Rainbow flag

Back 134

symbol of the diversity of the LGBT community

Front 135

Sexual preference

Back 135

use "sexual orientation" instead; preference implies that one chooses his or her sexual orientation

Front 136

Straight

Back 136

acceptable common term for heterosexual

Front 137

Transgender

Back 137

applies to all stages of becoming or being transsexual (preoperative, postoperative, or nonoperative), as well as to cross-dressers and drag queens or kings

Front 138

Transsexual

Back 138

a person who identifies as a member of the opposite sex; acquires the physical characteristics of the opposite sex; not an indication of sexual orientation

Front 139

Transvestite

Back 139

avoid; the correct term is cross-dresser

Front 140

Afflicted with, suffers from, victim of

Back 140

avoid the assumption that every person with a disability "suffers" or is a "victim"

Front 141

Birth defect

Back 141

avoid; when appropriate, use "born with a disability" or "person who has had a disability since birth"

Front 142

Blind

Back 142

adjective; describes a person with complete vision loss; a person may be legally blind but still have some vision. When appropriate to refer to the disability of those who are not totally blind, us "visually impaired" or "partially sighted"

Front 143

Confined to a wheelchair

Back 143

avoid; people with disabilities who "use wheelchairs" do not think of themselves as being confined; in fact, a wheelchair provides mobility

Front 144

Cripple, crippled

Back 144

avoid; if necessary to describe a person's disability, use an accurate description: "walks with assistance" or "uses a wheelchair"

Front 145

Deaf

Back 145

adjective; refers to a person with total or near complete hearing loss. Those whose hearing loss is not as advanced may, when appropriate, be referred to as "hearing impaired", "hard of hearing", or having a "hearing loss"

Front 146

Deaf-dumb, deaf-mute

Back 146

avoid; these terms have a negative connotation

Front 147

Deformed

Back 147

avoid; has negative connotation; if necessary, describe the specific disability

Front 148

Differently abled, handi-capable

Back 148

avoid trendy terms such as these and others like "physically challenged" and "inconvenienced". "Person with a disability" is preferred.

Front 149

Disabled, disability

Back 149

preferred terms; when possible use "person with a disability" rather than "disabled person"

Front 150

Fit

Back 150

seizure is preferred

Front 151

Guide dogs

Back 151

also called assistance animals, service animals, and Seeing Eye (registered trademark) dogs

Front 152

Handicap, handicapped

Back 152

avoid due to the negative connotation; "disability" or "person with a disability" is preferred; replace even terms like "handicap parking" or "handicap seating" with "parking" or "seating for people with disabilities"

Front 153

Infantile paralysis

Back 153

polio

Front 154

Invalid

Back 154

avoid; pejorative term that refers to someone with a disability

Front 155

Lame

Back 155

avoid when referring to a person

Front 156

Little person

Back 156

refers to a person of short stature; avoid dwarf or midget; avoid the trendy "vertically challenged"; if necessary to refer to the height of a person or short stature, ask for his preference

Front 157

NCDJ

Back 157

National Center on Disability and Journalism; its stated mission is to work with journalists and educators about disability reporting issues in order to produce more accurate, fair, and diverse news reporting

Front 158

Nondisabled

Back 158

reference, if necessary, to a person who does not have a disability; avoid the trendy "temporarily abled"

Front 159

Special, special needs

Back 159

avoid when referring to people with disabilities

Front 160

Wheelchair

Back 160

when necessary to the story, refer to a person as one who "uses a wheelchair" rather than being "wheelchair bound" or "confined to a wheelchair"

Front 161

Ageism

Back 161

discrimination or prejudice against people based on age

Front 162

Agnostic

Back 162

a person who believes that, at our present level of knowledge, we cannot know whether or not a God exists

Front 163

Anti-Semitism

Back 163

hatred toward Jews; discrimination or prejudice against people because of their belief in Judaism

Front 164

Atheist

Back 164

someone who does not believe in the existence of God or other deities

Front 165

Blue collar

Back 165

refers to a manual laborer, usually one who works for wages as opposed to a set salary or commission

Front 166

Born Again Christian

Back 166

a person who has repented of his sin and accepted Jesus as Lord and Savior. Conservative Protestants believe that this is the only way one can get to heaven. Some of these denominations do not require that a person repent first

Front 167

Classism

Back 167

discrimination or prejudice against people based on economic or social class

Front 168

Disadvantaged

Back 168

social class of people who are historically oppressed because of a lack of economic, social, and political power

Front 169

Evangelical

Back 169

strong believer; one who is zealous in her support of the Christian religion and extremely eager to have other people share her beliefs

Front 170

Faithism

Back 170

discrimination or prejudice against someone based on faith or religious belief or nonbelief

Front 171

Fundamentalist

Back 171

one who believes in strict adherence to the basic beliefs of a faith; often associated with the Evangelical Christian movement

Front 172

Minimum wage

Back 172

the minimum amount required y the federal Fair Labor Standards Act for qualifying employees; currently (?) $6.55 per hour. A person earning minimum wage and working forty hours per week with no time off would make $13,624 in a year

Front 173

Mosque

Back 173

Muslim place of worship

Front 174

Poverty

Back 174

according to the US Department of Health and Human Services, a person who earns less than $9310 or a family of four earning less than $18,850 would fall below the poverty threshold

Front 175

Religion

Back 175

an organized system of beliefs by which someone lives; usually associated with a belief in the existence of a divine power

Front 176

synagogue

Back 176

Jewish house of prayer; place of worship and communal center for followers of Judaism