A lot of big words but what do they mean?
By Sam Low
A feminist social movement glossary
Feminists and social movement theorists utilize quite a few complicated theories, concepts, and terms that tend to be coopted and their meanings confused. So, what do they all mean?
Intersectional: Intersectionality is a lens through which you can see where power comes from and where it interlocks, it describes the interconnected nature of identities and how these characteristics combine and create varying forms of inequality and privilege. (Coined by Kimberlé Crenshaw in 1989)
Radical Feminism: A philosophy that defines the patriarchy as the root of inequality that leads to the social domination of women by men, requiring a system-wide, cultural change as opposed to working within the current system to produce change.
Patriarchal Society: A male-dominated (positions of authority are generally reserved for men), male-dentified (the ideas that society labels as good or desirable are associated with masculinity), and male-centered (the focus of attention is on men and what they do) society, awarding power and thus privilege to men at the expense of women.
TERF: Trans-exclusionary radical feminist (based upon the idea that transwomen are men, thus the oppressors of women).
Privilege: A special advantage available only to a particular group, often in the forms of power systems based on gender, race, sexuality, and class.
Cisgender (cis) & Transgender (trans): Cisgender or “cis” refers to a person whose gender identity aligns with their sex assigned at birth (i.e., someone is a cis man if they were assigned male at birth and identify as a boy or man). Transgender or “trans” is a term for people whose gender identity does not align with the sex they were assigned at birth (i.e., someone is a trans woman if they were assigned male at birth but identify as a woman).
Intimate Partner Violence or Domestic Violence: Any abuse by an intimate partner or ex-partner that causes physical, sexual, or psychological harm.
Hispanic vs. Latino vs. Latinx: Hispanic refers to people from Spain or who speak Spanish or Spanish speaking communities. Latino refers to people of Latin American descent, excluding people from Spain. Latinx is the gender-neutral or non-binary term for Latino/Latina, resisting the inherent power masculine words have in Spanish.
ICE: The U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, known for human rights abuses and encroachments on the freedoms of undocumented people.
Migrant vs. Immigrant: A migrant is someone who temporarily leaves their home “willingly,” usually for employment, in a different country or region of their country. An immigrant is someone who “willingly” moves from their country to permanently settle in a different country.
This glossary is interactive, suggestions to add terms or alter definitions are encouraged!
