Inclusion refers to belonging and participation, meaning how much an activity, service or organization includes people who might otherwise be left out or marginalized. For example, when the term exchange students is often used when speaking about international students, the conversation does not include many other students (doctoral students, degree students).

Minority stress means an individual’s long-term social and internal pressure due to membership of a minority group. This means a chronic state of stress caused by factors such as the surrounding society’s assumptions of gender or heterosexuality, feelings of difference, experiences of othering, social stigmatization, bullying and experiences of violence.

Racism as a concept means value judgements of an assumed human group, for example on the basis of ethnic origin, skin colour, citizenship, culture, native language or religion that are lower than for other human groups. Racism often involves considering one’s own group better than others’ groups. Racism causes inequality and harms both its objects and society as a whole. Racism is used as an instrument of power.

Harassment is discrimination prohibited by the Non-discrimination Act. Harassment can be targeted at age, skin colour, opinions, convictions or is sexual or gender-based by nature. Harassment is offensive behaviour through words, actions or attitudes. Hints, improper facial expressions and gestures, inappropriate touching, improper contact and coarse speech are forms of harassment.

Abuse means behaviour towards another person which is contrary to accepted principles of morality or illegal. It is most often systematic or continual, negative, subjugating activities which are manifested as actions or neglect. Examples of abuse are threats and shouting, unjustified negative criticism of a person’s traits, natural features or private life, as well as exclusion from a community’s social interaction.

Discrimination means a person is treated worse than others on the basis of one or more personal traits. Discrimination can be direct or indirect. For example, if a venue cannot be accessed by a wheelchair because of steps or other barriers, this is a form of indirect discrimination.

Misogyny is an attitude aimed at women and girls which is generally characterized by outright hatred of females. Misogynistic culture may include rejection and discrimination of traditionally feminine traits and behaviours and excessive emphasis of masculinity. Misogyny appears in society as sexism, belittling of women, social discrimination, violence towards women and objectification of female bodies.

Safe space principles and procedures are aimed at creating a space where everyone can strive to build, through their own actions, an equal, respectful and open environment and conversation.

Hate speech is communication (such as speech or images) which incite hatred towards a person or group of people. Hate speech is focused on people and groups who are selected as targets on the basis of their background, personal traits, duties or opinions. Hate speech often strives to exclude certain people and groups from society or to silence certain groups of people.

Physical accessibility traditionally means the consideration of all kinds of people in the physical environment, such as in designing and building the built environment. In addition to accessibility of movement, people with impaired sight, hearing, understanding and communication are also taken into consideration.

Immaterial accessibility generally refers to the accessibility of resources such as digital content. When accessible content is produced, care is taken to ensure the information is provided for more than one sense and that as many different people as possible can use websites and mobile apps as easily as possible. Instead of barriers, immaterial accessibility can also be thought of as openness and equality of environments, information and communities. The immaterial accessibility concept shifts the attention from an individual’s difficulties to communities and, instead of problems, highlights the positive impacts of accessibility for all.