A GLOSSARY ON FEMINISM FOR THE ENGLISH CLASS

A GLOSSARY ON FEMINISM FOR THE ENGLISH CLASS


By Pilar Aznar Cabot, English teacher at IES Lloixa in Sant Joan d’Alacant (Spain)


This is a list of, words and phrases, with their corresponding definitions which can be taught in the English class in order to provide our students with a basic vocabulary on the topic.


This terms have been compiled from the following websites:
https://eige.europa.eu (website of the European Institute for Gender Equality)
https://trainingcentre.unwomen.org

  • Discrimination against women 
Treating women differently from men in a way which prevents them from enjoying their rights. Discrimination can stem both from law or from practice.

  • Double standards 
It means that the criteria used to evaluate and regulate women often differ from those for men, benefiting the latter.

  • Emancipation of women 
Process by which women have been striving to liberate themselves from the authority and control of men and traditional power structures, as well as secure equal rights for women, remover gender discrimination from laws, institutional and behavioural patterns, and set legal standards to promote their full equality with men.

  • Empowerment of women 
The process by which women gain power and control over their own lives and acquire the ability to make strategic choices. Women’s empowerment has five components: women’s sense of self-worth; their right to have and to determine choices; their right to have access to opportunities and resources; their right to have power and control their own lives; and their ability to influence the direction of social change to create a more just social and economic order.

  • Equal opportunities for women and men (Equality between women and men) 
Absence of barriers to economic, political and social participation on grounds of sex and gender.

  • Equal pay for work of equal value (Equal remuneration of women and men)
Equal pay for work to which equal value is attributed, without discrimination on grounds of sex or marital status.

  • Equal sharing of domestic responsibilities 
Women and men equally sharing care tasks in the family as well as tasks relating to all aspects of household work.

  • Feminism 
Social and political movement and commitment to change the position of women and promote gender equality.

  • Gender bias
Prejudiced actions or thoughts based on the gender-based perception that women are not equal to men in rights and dignity

  • Gender discrimination 
Any distinction, exclusion or restriction made on the basis of sex which has the effect or purpose of impairing or nullifying the recognition, enjoyment or exercise by women of human rights and fundamental freedoms in the political, economic, social, cultural, civil or any other field.

  • Gender equality 
Equal rights, responsibilities and opportunities of women and men.(Opposite: gender  inequality)

  • Gender gap
Gap in any area between women and men in terms of their levels of participation, access, rights, remuneration or benefits.

  • Gender parity 
Equal contribution of women and men to every dimension of life, whether private or public.

  • Gender quotas 
Positive measurement instrument aimed at accelerating the achievement of gender-balanced participation and representation. It establishes a defined proportion (percentage) or number of places or seats to be filled by or allocated to women and/opr men.

  • Gender roles 
Social and behavioural norms which, within a specific culture, are widely considered to be socially appropriate for individuals of a specific sex.

  • Gender stereotypes 
Preconceived ideas whereby females and males are arbitrarily assigned characteristics and roles determined and limited by their gender.

  • Gender violence (Violence against women) 
All acts of gender-based violence that result in, or are likely to result in physical, sexual, psychological or economic harm or suffering to women, including threats of such acts, coercion or arbitrary deprivation of liberty.

  • Glass ceiling 
Artificial impediments and invisible barriers that militate against women’s access to top-decision making and managerial positions in an organisation, whether public or private.

  • Pay gap 
Difference between the earnings of female and male employees.

  • Sexual harassment 
Form of gender-based violence encompassing acts of unwanted physical, verbal or non-verbal conduct of a sexual nature, which have a purpose or effect of violating the victim’s dignity and creating an intimidating, hostile, degrading, humiliating or offensive environment.