About
Our Name, Our Founder, & Our Approach
The Why Behind Our Name
Why "Do Something"
The words Do Something are intentionally simple.
They are both an invitation and a challenge.
Every one of us has opportunities to make our workplaces more accessible.
To interrupt discrimination.
To believe survivors.
To advocate for equitable policies.
To ask better questions.
To apologize when we cause harm.
To continue learning.
To create safer communities.
We believe allyship is not an identity someone claims.
It is something people practice.
It is measured by consistency, accountability, humility, and action.
We do not expect perfection.
We expect a willingness to keep showing up.
Why "Identity(ies)"
We intentionally write Identity(ies) with parentheses because every person has one identity and many identities simultaneously.
None of us are a monolith.
Someone may be autistic, disabled, Jewish, Latine, multilingual, a parent, an artist, a veteran, neurodivergent, and a survivor—all at once.
These identities do not exist separately.
They intersect with our upbringing, culture, geography, socioeconomic status, education, community, relationships, trauma, resilience, socialization, privilege, and lived experiences.
Too often, people receive support only for the parts of themselves that others find relatable, known, or socially acceptable.
We reject that approach.
People deserve to be believed in their entirety.
Real inclusion means showing up for all of someone’s identities, not just the ones that are easiest to understand.
Why I Started Do Something: Identity(ies)
My name is Van Ethan Levy (they | elle), and I am the founder of Do Something: Identity(ies).
I am a survivor of childhood sexual violence, grooming, conversion therapy, and institutional abuse. As a child, I was sent across the United States to programs that promised to “fix” or “cure” who I was. Instead of finding care, I experienced physical violence, emotional abuse, psychological harm, neglect, isolation, and the lasting trauma that comes from being told your identity is something that needs to be erased.
Many people believe these practices belong to history. They do not.
Conversion therapy, institutional abuse, discrimination, and identity-based violence continue to exist today: in our schools, healthcare systems, faith communities, workplaces, government policies, and neighborhoods. Every day, people are denied safety, dignity, healthcare, housing, education, employment, and belonging because of who they are or how they are perceived.
This is not simply my story.
It is the story of countless people in our communities who continue to experience oppression because of race, disability, gender identity, sexual orientation, religion, immigration status, body size, neurodivergence, socioeconomic status, age, and many other intersecting identities.
I have witnessed friends lose access to healthcare because of legislation; people fear walking into public spaces; survivors struggle to be believed; and leaders issue statements of support while harmful systems remained unchanged.
And I became tired of receiving messages that people cared while there is so little meaningful action follow.
That is why I created Do Something: Identity(ies).
Not because another nonprofit needed to exist.
But because our communities deserve people who are willing to keep learning, remain accountable, follow the leadership of those most impacted, and take meaningful action.
Inclusion & Language Guidance
Language shapes the way we understand ourselves and one another.
At Do Something: Identity(ies), we recognize that language is constantly evolving. Different communities, cultures, and individuals may describe themselves in different ways. We will never tell someone what a persons identity is and/or what language they should use to describe their own lived experience.
This guide reflects the language our organization chooses to use when communicating with broad audiences.
Whenever possible, we choose language that:
- Reduces assumptions
- Centers people’s humanity before labels
- Makes space for diverse lived experiences
- Recognizes that identities are not one-size-fits-all
- Encourages action instead of performative language
If someone tells us how a persons identity, we honor and respect the language they use for themselves. When engaging generally, however, we intentionally choose words that create space for more people to feel represented.
Language We Choose to Use
Community Language
Instead of assuming only a few identities exist, we often choose broader language that leaves room for the diversity of our communities.
Examples include:
- LGBT+ instead of “LGBT.” The important part is the “+” after any letters when we want to include everyone even when representation is not present. Ex: LGBTQAPIA2S+.
- Trans, non binary, and many more non cis identities intstead of “transgender” because not everyone is a/has a gender who is trans.
- Non binary instead of “nonbinary” or “non-binary” for folx whose identity is not binary versus a person may use a nonbinary or non-binary identity, when discussing in general for inclusion.
- And many more instead of “other” because most people do not want to be “othered” more than we are.
- Non cis instead of “gender diverse” and/or “gender expansive” because gender is a construct and communicating it is diverse and/or expansive is communicating the binary male/female is the “norm” and everything else expanded when in reality, there have always been many identity(ies).
Our intention is to acknowledge that language and identities continue to grow beyond any single acronym or category.
Affirming Language
We prioritize language that centers people’s lived experiences rather than implying there is only one way to exist.
For example:
- “Accessing medical care” instead of assuming a single medical pathway instead of gender affirming care/gender affirming surgery.
- “Showing up in affirming ways” rather than framing someone’s identity as changing, rather than transition.
- “Uses they pronouns” rather than describing pronouns as something someone transitions to.
Minimizing Ableist Language
Instead of saying: “I see you” because not everyone can see, we encourage specificity or statements such as:
- “I am holding space for you.”
- “I understand.”
- “I’m here with you.”
- “Thank you for sharing your experience.”
Action-Oriented Language
Our organization believes inclusion requires action.
Where possible, we choose words that emphasize participation rather than passive intention.
Examples include:
- Focus instead of Aim. Aim can also impact folx who have experienced trauma.
- Action or Show Up instead of Step. Not everyone can walk and/or step.
Additional Inclusive Language
| Instead of | We often use |
| Gender | Identity |
| They/them | They (one pronoun per series, to respect people who use several pronouns like “they/she”) |
| Guys | Everyone, folx, all |
| Ladies and gentlemen | Everyone, guests, participants |
| Normal | Common or typical |
| Preferred pronouns | Pronouns |
| Wheelchair-bound | Wheelchair user |
| Suffers from | Lives with |
| Master/slave | Primary/secondary or main/replica |
| Blacklist/whitelist | Blocklist/allowlist |
| Sanity check | Quick check |
| Victim | Person impacted (when appropriate) |
| Trigger warning | Activating content |
| Commit suicide | Die by suicide or die by despair |
Why Language Matters
Words influence belonging.
Some language reflects outdated medical models, binary thinking, deficit-based perspectives, or systems of oppression. Other terms unintentionally erase the diversity within communities by implying that everyone shares the same experiences or identities.
Our language choices are designed to make fewer assumptions while creating more opportunities for people to see themselves reflected.
This is not an exhaustive list. Language will continue evolving – and so will we. We are committed to remaining curious, listening to impacted communities, accepting feedback, and updating our language as we continue learning.