Women and Gender Studies Notes

Transnational Feminisms

A contemporary feminist paradigm and activist movement concerned with how globalization and capitalism affect people across nations, races, genders, classes, and sexualities.

Global Feminism

Addresses the challenges and choices globalization presents for women, focusing on issues such as health, education, and welfare.

Postcolonial Feminism

Feminism that combats the ongoing effects of colonialism and challenges Eurocentric standards.

Savior Complex/White Savior Complex

The belief that people from Western countries need to 'save' people from developing countries, viewing them as 'oppressed'.

Global Sisterhood

The idea that all women are connected by their gender and share common experiences of oppression.

Intersectionality

The interconnected nature of social categorizations such as race, class, and gender, creating overlapping systems of discrimination.

Autonomy

The emphasis on choice and independence; a liberal feminist idea that is not universally valued by all women.

Body Image

A person's perception of the aesthetics or sexual attractiveness of their own body compared to societal standards.

Male Gaze

The depiction of women and the world from a masculine perspective, presenting women as objects for male pleasure.

Postfeminism

The idea that feminism has achieved its goals and is no longer necessary.

Fatphobia

Fear or prejudice against fat people.

Media Literacy

The ability to critically analyze and evaluate media messages to identify bias, sexism, and racism.

Masculinity

A set of attributes, behaviors, and roles associated with boys and men, which vary across cultures and periods.

Patriarchy

A social system where males hold primary power in roles of leadership, authority, and control of property.

Hegemonic Masculinity

The culturally dominant form of masculinity associated with authority and leadership.

Toxic Masculinity

Harmful manifestations of traditional masculinity, such as misogyny and violence.

Multiple Masculinities

The concept that different cultures and periods construct masculinity differently.

Overt Racism

Open and obvious racism, such as violence or exclusion based on race.

Covert Racism

Subtle racism that indirectly makes a person feel different based on race.

Structural Racism

Racism embedded in society, often unconscious, such as biased hiring practices.

Person of Colour/Woman of Colour

Person-first terminology for individuals of non-white backgrounds.

Afro-futurism

A movement incorporating black history and culture in futuristic themes in literature and art.

Gender Expression

The external representation of gender on a spectrum.

Sexual Orientation

A person’s feelings of attraction toward other people.

Agender

Describes a person who does not identify as having a gender identity corresponding to man or woman.

Cisgender

A person whose gender identity matches the sex assigned at birth.

Gender Dysphoria

The medical diagnosis for being transgender, as defined by the DSM-5.

Resurgence

A process of renewal referring to Indigenous political strategies and cultural practices.

Interactional Feminist Frameworks (IFFs)

Analytical tools used to assess how various social and political identities create different experiences of discrimination.

Person-First Terminology

Language that emphasizes the individual before their disability.

Inspiration Porn

Portrayal of disabled individuals as inspirational to non-disabled individuals.

Sexualized Violence

Any violence carried out through sexual means or targeting sexuality.

Sexual Assault

Unwanted sexual activity, such as non-consensual touching or rape.

Sexual Harassment

Unwanted sexual comments, behavior, or contact.