The following text gathers official lexicographical definitions of key socio-political terms that are often distorted in public discourse, sometimes deliberately.
Feminism.
A social and political movement advocating for gender equality and equal rights.
Sources: Babiniotis Dictionary of Modern Greek, Merriam-Webster, Oxford.
Patriarchy.
A social system in which power is primarily held by men, both at family and societal levels.
Sources: Babiniotis Dictionary of Modern Greek, Oxford.
Phallocracy.
An ideology or mindset that considers men superior and dominant.
Sources: Babiniotis Dictionary of Modern Greek.
Feminazi.
An insulting and ironic term, not scholarly, is used to extremely disparage feminism by abusively comparing it to Nazism.
Sources: Babiniotis Dictionary of Modern Greek, Merriam-Webster.
Woke.
Means being socially and politically aware, particularly regarding social injustice.
Sources: Merriam-Webster.
“Woke agenda”.
It’s not an official or lexicographical term.
A political label is mainly used critically by extreme circles to demonise policies promoting social justice and equality.
Sources: Merriam-Webster (for “woke”), official institutional policies of the UN & EU.
Gender-based violence.
Any form of violence exercised because of a person’s sex or gender identity, disproportionately affecting women and feminine-identifying people, in both private and public spaces. Includes physical, psychological, sexual, economic, and institutional violence.
Sources: UN, World Health Organization, European Institute for Gender Equality.
Femicide / Femicides.
The killing of a woman because of her gender, usually within the context of gender-based violence, domestic abuse, control, or male dominance.
Not an “ordinary homicide”, but a crime with a specific social and gendered background.
Sources: UN, World Health Organization.
Toxic masculinity.
A set of socially imposed standards of manhood promoting violence, dominance, emotional suppression, and the denigration of anything considered “feminine”.
The concept does not target men per se, but the harmful behaviours and expectations imposed on them, which negatively affect both themselves and others.
Sources: American Psychological Association, Oxford.
Harassment.
Unwanted behavior — verbal, non-verbal, or physical — that violates a person’s dignity and creates an intimidating, hostile, humiliating, or offensive environment.
It may concern gender, sexuality, gender identity, appearance, work, or any other personal characteristic.
Harassment can occur:
in the workplace
in public spaces
online (cyber harassment)
in educational or social settings
Sources: UN, International Labor Organization, European Institute for Gender Equality.
Patriarchal stereotypes.
Generalised and oversimplified beliefs that attribute “natural” roles, characteristics, and behaviors to the sexes, based on the patriarchal organisation of society.
They maintain male dominance, limit the autonomy of all genders, and legitimise sexism and discrimination.
Sources: UN, European Institute for Gender Equality.
Victim blaming.
A practice or attitude in which responsibility for an act of violence, abuse, or crime is shifted from the perpetrator to the victim.
Often manifested through questions or comments that focus on the victim’s behavior, appearance, or choices rather than the act of the perpetrator.
Sources: American Psychological Association, UN.
Rape culture.
A social and cultural framework in which sexual violence is normalised, trivialised, or justified through stereotypes, humor, myths, and practices that protect perpetrators and question victims.
Sources: UN, World Health Organization.
Terms like victim blaming, rape culture, and intersectionality are used internationally in sociology, psychology, law, and human rights to describe structural phenomena, not “personal sensitivities” or “ideologies.”
Internalised misogyny.
A condition in which a person accepts or internalises misogynistic values and stereotypes promoted by society, and applies them to themselves or to other women, often undermining self-esteem, autonomy, or relationships among women.
Sources: American Psychological Association, Merriam-Webster, Oxford.
Body shaming.
The practice or behavior in which a person is judged or demeaned because of their body or appearance, leading to shame or low self-esteem.
It may include:
comments about weight, height, body shape, or general appearance
belittling or sarcastic remarks in public spaces or online
social exclusion or pressure to change one’s appearance
Sources: Merriam-Webster, Oxford, American Psychological Association.
Glass ceiling.
An invisible or informal barrier that limits the professional or social advancement of certain groups, primarily women, into senior positions of power or decision-making.
It refers to structural discrimination that may not always be explicit but operates through policies, practices, or stereotypes.
Linked to restrictions on access to promotions, high-paying positions, or leadership roles, regardless of individual skills or qualifications.
Sources: Merriam-Webster, Oxford, Babiniotis Dictionary of Modern Greek.
Transphobia.
Fear, aversion, prejudice, or hostile behavior towards trans and gender-diverse individuals, expressed through discrimination, hate speech, social exclusion, or violence.
Sources: Merriam-Webster, American Psychological Association.
Misgender.
The act or behavior of assigning a person a gender different from the one they identify with or experience.
This may include:
using incorrect pronouns or name
violating gender identity
demeaning or rejecting the person’s gender identity
Sources: American Psychological Association, Merriam-Webster.
Homophobia.
Fear, prejudice, or hostile attitude towards gay individuals or homosexuality, leading to social stigma, discrimination, and violation of human rights.
Sources: Merriam-Webster, American Psychological Association.
Important clarification.
The above terms are not ideological inventions or “activist slogans”.
They are scientifically, sociologically, and institutionally established concepts, used to describe real phenomena of violence, discrimination, and inequality.
Conclusion 1.
The dictionary definitions are distinct from the claims or slogans circulated by patriarchal or misinformed sources.
📖 Dictionaries are not “woke”. They are simply… dictionaries.
Conclusion 2.
Whenever encountering different interpretations of these terms, it is best to refer to authoritative sources rather than political slogans or misinformation.
