Allyship

Allyship is an ongoing process of being a supportive and trustworthy person to someone else, usually someone who has a different identity or lived experience from you. Allyship includes being an active bystander when witnessing instances of discrimination or harassment and sticking up for others. Being an ally means being a reliable and supportive friend or colleague, especially in instances of discrimination or harassment in the space.

Cultural Appropriation

Cultural Appropriation refers to the unacknowledged or inappropriate adoption of the customs, practices, clothes, ideas, etc. of one people, culture or society by members of another and typically more dominant people or society. Examples of cultural appropriation include; a non-Black person wearing dreadlocks, a non-Hindu person wearing a Bindi, displaying a pinata with no cultural relevance.

Discrimination

Discrimination means treating a person unfairly because of who they are or because they possess certain characteristics. Discrimination can include prejudice, stereotyping, verbal, written or physical attacks among other forms. This treatment usually causes harm or makes people feel uncomfortable.

BC Human Rights Code explains in depth the specific characteristics that someone can (in legal terms) experience discrimination for. 

Inclusion

Inclusion encompasses specific and thoughtful initiatives and behaviours that make sure everyone feels a sense of belonging. A sense of belonging and inclusion is important for everyone on set because it fosters trust, builds team relationships and results in a higher quality of work being produced. Inclusive spaces are ones where everyone feels free to be themselves and no one is left behind. 

Intersectionality

Intersectionality is a term coined by legal scholar Kimberle Crenshaw that refers to the way that systems of oppression overlap and intersect with one another. An intersectional framework is an essential part of an inclusive environment because it acknowledges the multiple and compounding experiences of oppression and discrimination that certain people and communities may face. 

Gaslighting

Gaslighting is an insidious technique of deception and psychological manipulation, usually practiced over an extended period. Its effect is to gradually undermine the victim’s confidence in their own ability to distinguish truth from falsehood.

Harassment

Generally, harassment is conduct or comment that a reasonable person would consider to be objectionable or unwelcome. The conduct or comment typically humiliates, intimidates, excludes or isolates individuals and is often accompanied by threats or promises regarding opportunities and conditions. 

Harassment can be a single, serious incident or a series of repeated incidents.  A series of incidents often leads to negative, hostile or poisoned environments that interfere with someone’s ability to do their job. Harassment can range from written or spoken comments to physical or sexual assault. 

Microaggressions

Microaggressions are the everyday verbal, nonverbal, and environmental slights, snubs, or insults, whether intentional or unintentional, that communicate hostile, derogatory, or negative messages to target persons based on their identity. Microaggressions can be hard to identify but can include actions like belittling, dismissing, interrupting, eye-rolling, inappropriate questions, staring or ignoring.