NONDISCRIMINATION/AFFIRMATION POLICY

Northern Indiana Atheists affirms and promotes participation in all of its activities without regard to race, color, sex, disability, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, age, or national origin, and without requiring denial of or adherence to any religious belief or creed.

• All secular and religious organizations NIA works with must also agree to abide by this policy.

DEFINITION OF TERMS

AFFIRMING: Affirming religious groups welcome LGBT members and do not consider homosexuality to be a sin, affirming the full inclusion in the church's life and ministry.

GENDER EXPRESSION: External appearance of one's gender identity, usually expressed through behavior, clothing, haircut or voice, and which may or may not conform to socially defined behaviors and characteristics typically associated with being either masculine or feminine.

GENDER IDENTITY: One’s innermost concept of self as male, female, a blend of both or neither – how individuals perceive themselves and what they call themselves. One's gender identity can be the same or different from their sex assigned at birth.

SEXUAL ORIENTATION: An inherent or immutable enduring emotional, romantic, or sexual attraction to other people.