Words You Should Know: Key Terms Used in Woke Culture
Microaggressions: subtle, often unintentional acts of discrimination or hostility directed at marginalized groups.
Example: Asking an Asian person where they are really from, implying that they are not really American.
Privilege: unearned advantages or benefits that one group of people has over another based on their social status or identity.
Example: A cisgender, able-bodied, middle-class, straight, white man has privilege in a society that values cisgender, able-bodied, middle-class, straight, white men.
Intersectionality: the idea that different aspects of a person's identity, such as race, gender, sexuality, and class, interact and intersect to create unique experiences of discrimination and privilege.
Example: A black woman may experience both racism and sexism, which cannot be separated from one another.
Oppression: systemic discrimination or marginalization of a group of people based on their identity or social status.
Example: The way that the criminal justice system disproportionately targets and oppresses people of color.
Cisgender: a term used to describe people whose gender identity aligns with the sex they were assigned at birth.
Example: A person who identifies as a woman and was assigned female at birth would be considered cisgender.
Transgender: a term used to describe people whose gender identity does not align with the sex they were assigned at birth.
Example: A person who identifies as a man but was assigned female at birth would be considered transgender.
Gender non-binary: a term used to describe people who do not identify as exclusively male or female.
Example: A person who identifies as both male and female, neither, or as another gender altogether would be considered non-binary.
Allyship: the actions and attitudes of people who support marginalized groups and work to challenge their own privilege and contribute to dismantling systems of oppression.
Example: A cisgender person actively educating themselves on transgender issues and using their privilege to advocate for transgender rights.
Safe space: a physical or virtual space where marginalized groups feel comfortable and safe to express themselves without fear of discrimination or hostility.
Example: A support group for LGBTQ+ individuals where they can share their experiences and feelings without fear of judgement.
Cultural Appropriation: the act of taking elements of one culture and using them for one's own purposes without understanding or respecting the cultural significance of those elements.
Example: A non-Native American person wearing a headdress as a fashion statement without understanding the cultural significance of the headdress in Native American culture.