As amazing, inclusive, and empowering as it is, sometimes feminism can be a little tricky to wrap your head around. This is partly due to the endless amount of vocabulary needed to fully understand complicated issues and ideas, and the fact that our understanding of these ideas changes all the time. So to help you along the ongoing educational journey involved in being a feminist, here are some handy words and terms to know:

Ableism

Discrimination in favour of non-disabled people.

Ableism is rampant throughout our society, devaluing and discriminating against people with physical, intellectual, or psychiatric disabilities. It often comes from the assumption that disabled people need to be ‘fixed’, saved or pitied. In order to combat this it is vital that we are all educating ourselves about the different forms and experiences of disability, ensuring that we are creating accessible and safe spaces, and elevating the voices of people living with disabilities. To learn more about disability, you can read this article. 

Binary

Relating to, composed of, or involving two things.

When we use the term ‘binary’ in feminist discussion, it is usually in relation to gender (i.e. gender binary). This is the limiting belief that there are only two genders. It is also used to discuss gender stereotypes or characteristics typically seen as either male or female. The most important thing to know about the gender binary is that it’s a completely incorrect and made-up thing! 

It’s important to recognise this, as the gender binary doesn’t account for non-binary people, who don’t identify exclusively as a man or woman. Someone who is non-binary might feel like they are a mix of genders, or may identify outside of the gender binary entirely. 

Body Neutrality 

The belief that a body is not beautiful or ugly, but rather just a vessel that keeps you alive and helps you function. 

Our society puts a lot of pressure on looks and imperfections, often making a body a marker of worth. Unlike body positivity, which attempts to shift this by placing emphasis on the beauty of all bodies, body neutrality seeks to take the focus away from looks entirely. Instead of not liking the appearance of a body part, body neutrality aims to emphasise the benefit of it. Arms allow you to hug your friends, legs help you to take you places, and your torso keeps all your organs happy and safe. This shift diverts your mind from considering your body as something aesthetic by highlighting its incredible work to keep you alive and well. 

Body Positivity 

A social movement that promotes the love and celebration of all bodies despite any imperfections, size, colour, or ability. 

Body positivity is a reaction to the stigma, hyperfixation and discrimination against marginalised bodies. It is an attempt to undo the damage that fatphobia, abilism, sexism, and racism have done to people’s perception of bodies. Body positivity has its roots in the fat liberation movement of the 60s. Led by Black women who were also involved in the Civil Rights Movement at the time, these activists paved the way for the radical acceptance and celebration of all bodies. Body positivity does not only celebrate all bodies but pushes back against the societal stigmas that force critique and harm onto those already marginalised.

Cis/Cisgender

Denoting or relating to a person whose sense of personal identity and gender corresponds with their birth sex.

To be cisgender (commonly shortened to ‘cis’) means that you identify with the gender you were assigned at birth. The term was first coined in the 90s to define the opposite of transgender. It is now often used to highlight the privilege of the majority of people who identify with their biological gender, and how people are treated differently in society based on their gender identity.

Cultural Appropriation

The unacknowledged or inappropriate adoption of the customs, practices, ideas, etc. of one people or society by members of another and typically more dominant people or society.

When a person or group of people take an element from a culture or race other than their own and use it outside of its original context, or, in a way that ignores its cultural significance – that’s cultural appropriation. Elements that are often culturally appropriated include traditional dress and decoration, music, celebrations, dance, art and religion. A few examples of cultural appropriation are white people wearing blackface, people of non-Native American background wearing a traditional Native American headdress, and people of non-Indian background wearing bindis. The best way to work out if something is cultural appropriation is to look for the voices of those from that culture and be guided by them.

Diaspora

People dispersed or settled in a country far from their country of ancestral origins.

Diaspora was originally used exclusively to describe the movement of Jewish people from Palestine, following the Babylonian and Roman conquest. The word translated in Greek means ‘to scatter’, and is now also used to describe the experience of an individual living in a land that they do not share their ancestral roots with. Post World War II, diaspora became a more widely known concept in Western countries as immigration from other parts of the world increased. Immigrants and their descendants together form a diaspora and often share valuable experiences in learning about their cultures of origin. For example, in Australia, there is a vibrant Vietnamese diaspora who maintain connections to their culture and community.

Essentialism 

The oppressive belief that social inequities exist due to the essential, biological, nature of a person rather than the social hierarchy that humans have constructed. 

Essentialist thinkers believe that men and women have distinct, innate qualities that define them as fundamentally separate. This conservative and often religiously informed way of thinking informs the belief that men are biologically more dominant and superior to women. This mentality extends itself to racism, nationalism, homophobia, and classism. Essentialism proposes that social inequalities exist not due to historical factors or systemic issues, but because of biology. This understanding informs a lot of transphobic rhetoric as well, as essentialism suggests that gender is an unchangeable part of a human being rather than a being constructed through our society. To learn more about essentialism you can read this article from The Conversation. 

Fatphobia 

The discrimination, oppression, and social stigma of people with larger bodies. 

Fatphobia exists in many forms, some are social interactions like fat shaming or bullying, and others are systemic experiences people face because of their size. It is derived from the idea that thinness is always the goal and that presenting as overweight is a moral failing due to laziness. Fatphobia can have debilitating effects such as causing trauma, eating disorders, and being denied necessary medical care. Fatphobia also exists on social media, such as influencers promoting hacks to achieve a “beach body” (as if not all bodies deserve to be on the beach). Some ways you can avoid fat shaming someone or perpetuating fatphobia is to never comment on what people are eating or their size, not to attach positives or negatives to any size, and to try and tackle any internalised fatphobia that you might have. Also, did you know that fatphobia has roots in racist ideology? Watch this TikTok to find out more about it!

Gaslight

Manipulate (someone) by psychological means into doubting their own sanity.

Gaslighting is a form of psychological abuse where the perpetrator makes the victim believe that they are imagining things, when in fact the perpetrator is manipulating the situation to gain control. The term was coined in 1938 after a British play called Gas Light in which a husband manipulates his wife into believing she is insane by subtly changing the intensity of the gaslights in their home. This tactic occurs frequently among marginalised groups who are told that they are just ‘imagining’ the oppression that they face. Learn more about gaslighting here. 

Gender-Based Violence 

Violence that is directed at a person because of their gender or sex.

Gender-based violence comes in many forms such as physical, sexual, psychological and economic harm. It can be at home, school, online, or the workplace. Gender-based violence disproportionately affects women but can affect anyone. It is perpetrated most often by someone known to the victim, like a parent or partner. It is the most common human rights violation, with nearly one in three women experiencing abuse in their lifetime. 

Gender Roles

Expectations assigned to each gender (usually the binary of male/female).

Gender roles refer to the stereotypes of typically male or female characteristics, behaviours, or actions. For example, traditional gender roles say that women should be the primary caregiver of children, and men should work to provide financial support. Or the simple boys wear blue, girls wear pink. These gender roles are restrictive to everyone. It’s time to move away from gender roles and allow people the freedom to determine their own gender identity.

Heteronormative

Denoting or relating to a worldview that promotes heterosexuality as the normal or preferred sexual orientation.

We live in a largely heteronormative culture, meaning that our society privileges heterosexual (straight), cisgender* (see cisgender definition) and monogamous (only has one partner) people. This marginalises* (see marginalised definition) anyone who does not conform to these very rigid ideals. Heternormativity assumes heterosexuality as the norm and structures society around it, privileging a traditional lifestyle that values marriage and reproduction (having babies). 

Incel 

The “involuntary celibate” community is an online group of men who blame women and feminism for the reason that they are unable to find a romantic partner. 

This dangerous subculture promotes the denigration and objectification of women, causing online hate and violence in the physical world. Starting in a deeply online space, the term and identity of an incel has become increasingly widespread, with instances of gender-based violence and suicide being linked to the community. Within the incel ideology, it is believed that there is a looks-based hierarchy that proves why men are disenfranchised based on their looks. They have outlandish proposals to ensure all men are sexually satisfied including the promotion of sexual assault and the coercion of minors. The language of the group, such as being “red-pilled” and “chad” have been embraced by the far right. Meaning the influence of the group cannot be underestimated.

Internalised Sexism 

When a person who would usually be disenfranchised by sexist culture starts to exhibit these behaviours to themselves or the people around them. 

This happens because the Australian culture is steeped in misogyny. When something is all around you it is hard not to take it on. Have you ever judged a friend for having a short skirt or heard a woman make a derogatory comment to a young woman? Internalised sexism can also manifest as shame or imposter syndrome. Don’t worry, there are methods of undoing the impact of internalised sexism by treating yourself and all women with respect and love. It is also good to call yourself and others out when you see this behaviour happen. Sexism is everywhere so every person has internalised it to some degree. Therefore, it is each person’s job to confront it within themselves.

Intersectionality

The interconnected nature of social categorisations such as race, class, and gender as they apply to a given individual or group, is regarded as creating overlapping and interdependent systems of discrimination or disadvantage.

It is so important that your feminism is intersectional, meaning it considers the many different aspects of identity that can both enrich individual’s lives and lead them to be faced with oppression and discrimination. Some of these aspects include gender, race, class, ability, sexuality, and age. It’s important to understand the ways each of these aspects of identity can ‘intersect’ or relate to each other. For example, the experience of a queer, transgender white person would be very different to that of a straight woman of colour. Everyone’s experience is valid and everyone’s voice should be heard. If you are not part of a marginalised* (see marginalised definition) group, you can still be an intersectional feminist by being a supportive ally who listens and elevates the voices around you. 

Check out this article for more info on intersectionality. 

LGBTQIA+

Lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer (or questioning), intersex, and asexual.

As the above definition suggests, LGBTQIA+ is an umbrella term used to describe the lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer (or questioning), intersex, and asexual community who are generally more marginalised* (see marginalised definition) than the majority of society. The ‘+’ is used to signify all of the gender identities and sexual orientations that aren’t specifically covered by the other five initials, such as pansexual, non-binary, genderqueer, and many more! 

Manosphere 

A digital space and platforms where participants promote toxic masculinity, misogyny, and an opposition to feminism. These groups promote hate speech and dangerous ideologies that pose a real risk to women, gender diverse, and queer people. 

Given a platform by powerful male elites such as Elon Musk and Mark Zuckerberg, and led by men like Andrew Tate, the manosphere is certainly on the rise. Algorithms push this type of content for more engagement, meaning that young men are vulnerable to hearing the damaging theories of “men’s rights” leaders. Manosphere leaders are taking advantage of the loneliness crisis and increased isolation of young men to fuel their own economic and social power. This is making the internet and the world in general a far more hostile place for marginalised groups. 

Mansplain

A man explaining something to someone, typically a woman, in a manner regarded as condescending or patronising.

Mansplaining is part of a set of cultural assumptions that place men’s opinions above all others. It occurs when men assume that women don’t understand something and need it explained to them, which is more often than not a false assumption. It is usually done in a condescending, overconfident, inaccurate or oversimplified manner. Rebecca Solnit popularised the term in the book Men Explain Things to Me, which discusses men explaining women’s own academic fields to them.

The term has inspired a whole list of related terms including ‘manterrupt’ (men interrupting women speaking) and ‘manspread’ (men taking up an unnecessary amount of room in public spaces, usually on public transport). There are also terms such as ‘whitesplain’ which refers to white people unnecessarily explaining things to people of colour.

Marginalised

To relegate to the fringes, out of the mainstream; make seem unimportant.

To be marginalised means to be pushed to the edge of a group and made to feel less important. Many minority or sub-groups are excluded, and their needs or desires are ignored, making them ‘marginalised’. This includes women, People of Colour, people with disabilities, queer people, trans people, and more.

Misogyny

Dislike of, contempt for, or ingrained prejudice against women.

Misogyny is more complicated than just a hatred for women. It is about controlling and punishing women who challenge male dominance and don’t conform to the expectations of the misogynist. It is different from sexism which involves gender stereotypes* (see gender roles definition) and systemic gender discrimination. Misogynists reinforce these stereotypes and believe that women should not be equal to men or respected. For example, if a man claims that women are naturally maternal – that is sexist. If he says that women should only be housewives and serve their husbands and children – that misogynistic.

For a great example of the use of the word check out Julia Gillard’s Misogyny Speech from 2012.

MRAs

An acronym which stands for ‘Men’s Rights Activist’ or advocate (used to refer to a person who campaigns for or supports the protection of men’s rights and interests).

Men’s Rights Activists are in theory ‘fighting for men’s equal rights’. However, in reality, the movement commonly focuses on fighting against feminism. This is unfortunate as there are many urgent men’s issues including male suicide rates and mental health issues. However, it seems the majority of the MRA group are acting against women, rather than for men. You’ll most likely come across the term on social media as the group is infamous for ‘trolling’ and harassing women and feminists online.

Patriarchy

A system of society or government in which men hold the power and women are largely excluded from it.

We live in a largely patriarchal society; meaning one that perpetuates oppressive and limiting gender roles* (see gender roles definition), sexism, transphobia, homophobia, discrimination and violence against minorities, and much more. Patriarchy does not mean ‘all men’, but rather the cultural system that values masculinity over femininity and upholds inequality between the genders in social, political and leadership settings. This is why you’ll often hear the Rosie team saying “It’s time to smash the patriarchy!” Learn more about the patriarchy and why it exists here. 

Privilege

A special right, advantage, or immunity granted or available only to a particular person or group.

Privilege is essentially the opposite of oppression. In feminist discussion we often talk about male privilege, meaning that men and boys do not face the same struggles as women and gender-diverse people such as sexism and gender-based discrimination. It can also be used to refer to white privilege, cis privilege* (see cisgender definition), non-disabled privilege, heterosexual privilege* (see heteronormative definition), class privilege, and more. If asked to consider your own privilege, try not to see it as an attack or an insult, but as an opportunity to understand how you may have benefited from your own identity and experiences and how not everyone has had the same experiences as you. It can be easy to underestimate the oppression that others suffer if you have not experienced it, so try and be mindful of this.

Pro-choice/Pro-life

The debate surrounding abortion. Pro-choice stands up for the right of pregnant people to choose if they would like an abortion. Pro-life believes that an abortion is morally wrong because it violates the life of the foetus. 

The pro-life stance argues the Christian belief that life begins at conception, meaning that terminating a pregnancy is akin to murder. Whereas, the pro-choice side points out that this is biologically false, as a foetus is merely a clump of cells reliant on the pregnant person to keep it alive and therefore could not have personhood. Abortion has been around in different forms for centuries, however, this modern debate around abortion began in the 1960s. It is contentious and is still raging around the world, particularly in the US after Roe V. Wade, the landmark Supreme Court ruling that legalised abortion in 1973, was repealed in 2022. In Australia, abortion is legal, with Western Australia being the last state to fully decriminalise it in 2023. However, there remain access barriers across the country that impact Australian’s reproductive rights. 

Rape Culture

A society or environment whose prevailing social attitudes have the effect of normalising or trivialising sexual assault and abuse.

Rape culture is very real in our society, as rape and assault are not only prevalent but normalised and excused both in the media and popular culture. Rape culture is perpetuated through the use of misogynistic language* (see misogyny definition), the objectification of women’s bodies, and the glamorisation of sexual violence in film and TV. Some examples of rape culture include victim blaming, sexually explicit jokes, trivialising assault (“boys will be boys”) and teaching girls to defend themselves rather than teaching boys not to offend.

Respect

A feeling of deep admiration for someone or something elicited by their abilities, qualities, or achievements. Or due regard for the feelings, wishes, or rights of others.

It’s so important to respect not only those around you but also develop a sense of self-respect too. Sexism and misogyny* (see misogyny definition) often stem from a deep lack of respect for women. By teaching respect for women and gender-diverse people from a young age, we can truly move towards achieving gender equality. It’s also important to remember that respect is not only reserved for those in authoritative positions. Everyone deserves to be treated equally and everyone deserves respect.

Queer 

Queer is an umbrella term for the LGBTQIA+ community and its own identity. It is also a political term and a way of life.

Queer is a complex term. It is used to describe all non-straight people and it is used as an identity category on its own. As an identity, it means something different to each queer person. On a whole, it rejects normal ways of expression and embraces what society rejects. This connects to its political meaning, as queer is a form of disruption that questions normative standards. It attempts to challenge the confining nature of society and push to liberate sexuality and gender from rigid boxes. This connects to feminism through their liberatory goals. They both aim to push the status quo and provide alternative and more equal ways of being. 

Sex Positive

Openness and acceptance of sexual diversity and expression. 

Society places a lot of stigma around sex and sexual expression. Often shaming people, especially women and queer people, for engaging in sex or being open about their sexuality. Histories of religious conservatism inform Australia’s aversion to talking about sex, and the sex positivity movement that began in the 60s but gained popularity in the 90s aims to change that. Sex positivity encourages everything from being open about what you enjoy with a partner, to having a healthy relationship with your body image, and supporting comprehensive sexual education in schools. 

Slut Shaming

The action or fact of stigmatising a person, often a woman, for engaging in behaviour judged to be promiscuous or sexually provocative.

Slut shaming is when someone is labelled a slut, promiscuous, ‘loose’, or any other sexually derogatory word, for engaging in sexual behaviour. Whether they are referring to someone’s outfit choice or sexual activity – real or made up – slut shaming is never okay. Women and gender-diverse people are almost always the subject of slut shaming, while boys and men are commonly congratulated for the exact same behaviour, and that’s just sexist. Learn more about slut shaming here. 

SWERF

An acronym which stands for ‘Sex Worker Exclusionary Radical Feminist’.

This term was coined during the third wave of feminism as the movement moved towards intersectionality and inclusivity. The term is commonly used on social media to describe people who claim to be feminists but harass and discriminate against sex workers online. SWERFs believe that anyone working in the sex industry should be excluded by feminism, suggesting that they are contributing to the objectification of women. This belief denounces the right of women and feminine-presenting people to have control over their bodies, actions, and sexuality.

TERF

An acronym which stands for ‘Trans-Exclusionary Radical Feminist’.

Similar to the term SWERF, TERFs self-identify as feminists but wish to exclude trans women from the feminist movement. They hold the belief that trans women are not ‘real women’ and have benefitted from male privilege. This not only disregards the hardship and oppression that trans women face daily but reinforces it. Learn more about the importance of trans inclusivity in feminism here.

Toxic Masculinity

A social science term that describes narrow and repressive ideas about the male gender role, that defines masculinity as exaggerated masculine traits like being violent, unemotional, sexually aggressive, and so forth.

Toxic masculinity is incredibly harmful, as it rests on the idea that men must be stereotypically ‘masculine’ (aggressive, competitive, unemotional and strong) and reject any typically ‘feminine’ aspects of their personality (sensitive, nurturing, compassionate, emotional). The stifling of emotional expression is dangerous not only to women and other victims of male violence but is detrimental to their own mental health. Everyone should be able to express their feelings with shame and stigma, and not be confined to outdated gender roles* (see gender roles definition).

Waves of Feminism

A term that refers to the periods of time where feminism has been particularly distinct and influential.  

Feminism is often referred to in ‘waves’, which basically means eras in history. Over time, the wave metaphor has become a useful way to describe and distinguish between different generations of feminism. It is widely believed that there have been four waves of feminism starting from the 1800s, and we are currently in the fourth wave. Read more about the history of feminism in this article. 

White Feminism

A brand of feminism centred around the ideals and struggles of primarily white women.

White feminism is a type of feminism that only focuses on white, cisgender, middle-class women and prioritises issues that mostly affect them, while alienating everyone else that feminism should be supporting. White feminism is incredibly harmful, as it denies that it can be racist, transphobic, and other discriminatory experiences, and instead asserts itself as the ‘correct’ or ‘main’ form of feminism. Being a white person doesn’t necessarily make you a white feminist — it is through actions that white feminism occurs. Learn more about white feminism and how to combat it by applying an intersectional lens here. 

Woke

Alert to injustice in society, especially racism.

When used as a verb, the word ‘woke’ means the past tense of ‘wake’ – as in someone who is past the process of waking up. There’s a similar logic behind using the word as an adjective in feminist discussion. It basically means being socially and politically aware and knowing what’s going on in the wider community, especially in relation to injustices. The rise in popularity of “woke” has been tied to the Black Lives Matter movement, reminding people to be aware of the way race and class affect people’s lives. Today we generally use the word to describe someone who is an informed, questioning, and self-educating individual.