Appendix 2: Glossary

Establishing a colony or colonies in a country or area.

In Australia, colonisation began with the First Fleet’s arrival from Britain in 1788. It then progressed over time with settlements in different states. Colonisation dispossessed First Peoples of their traditional lands.[139] The impact of colonisation continues in Australia to this day.

Unfair or unequal treatment of a person or group of people because of a personal characteristic that is protected by law.

It is against the law to discriminate against a person in areas of public life, including in workplaces, schools, government services and taking part in community activities.

All Traditional Owners of a place (including family and clan groups) and their ancestors.

Also Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples who live or lived in what we now call Australia in the time before or since the start of colonisation.[142]

Fear, prejudice, stereotypes and negative beliefs and behaviours that people hold towards lesbian, gay and bisexual people and people with diverse sexualities.

Homophobic behaviour includes offensive language and slurs, bullying, abuse and physical violence, and discrimination. It also includes systemic barriers like denying access to services or opportunities based on a person’s sexuality.

Intersectionality recognises that people may experience overlapping forms of inequality, discrimination and disadvantage based on a range of attributes. These attributes can include Aboriginality, ethnicity, age, disability, gender, sexual orientation, class, socioeconomic status, language, migration status and religion. This shapes peoples’ experiences, opportunities and life outcomes.

An intersectional approach to anti-racism recognises that people who have multiple attributes experience unique forms of racism because disadvantage and discrimination are compounded. It looks at ways to address racism through actions that respond to the needs of people based on the whole person rather than the single attribute of race or ethnicity.

Used to encompass the vast number of diverse faith groups in Victoria.

Faith refers to a group that share their own religion, spirituality and traditions.

The way people in societies construct categories to group people based on geographical, historical, political, economic, social/cultural factors and physical traits.

While race categories are used to create groups of people based on shared characteristics, race is a social construct. This means that different societies create categories of race based on shared characteristics. However, racial groups are not fixed. The way people classify themselves and each other changes over time.

An ongoing process that creates different groups in a society based on perceived common characteristics such as geographical, historical, political, economic, social/cultural factors and physical traits.

Racialisation describes the way people in a society are categorised by those in society with power, resources, influence and control. It is a way people and groups with social power in a society can choose who to include and exclude.

Beliefs, behaviours, systems and structures in a society that cause unfair and unequal distribution in power, resources and opportunities between racial or ethnic groups.

Racism includes beliefs, stereotypes, prejudices or discrimination at the personal, institutional and societal levels.

The racialised identity given to people who are positively racialised within a society as being white-skinned. Whiteness includes the customs, cultures, values and beliefs of the white racialised group.

Whiteness refers to the way that white racial identity is normalised within a society so non-white people are seen as inferior or ‘other’.

Whiteness provides social advantages to white people or those perceived to be white.