Trans-exclusionary radical feminism (TERFism) advocates against rights and protections for trans women and denies the validity of nonbinary identities. Those who ascribe to this belief system see gender as purely biological, rigid, and binary. The ideology of “gender-critical feminism” emerged in the 1970s, took root online in 2008, and became more widespread beginning in the mid 2010s. TERF and “gender-critical feminist” are often used interchangeably and refer to the same core ideology. The Trans Journalists Association argues that both terms are euphemisms for transphobia.
Category: Gender and Sexuality
Borders and Populations, Class and Social Standing, Disabilities, Neurodiversity, and Chronic Illness, Gender and Sexuality, Mental Health, Trauma, and Substance Use, Race and Ethnicity, Religion, Spirituality, and Worldview
epidemic
An epidemic is characterized by the spread of an infectious disease within a distinct geographic area at a frequency far above normal. The term has also long been used metaphorically to describe social phenomena (e.g., epidemics of loneliness or gun violence). Reporting with care, restraint, and reliable data sources, including experts with relevant credentials, is necessary to provide crucial information and avoid stoking public panic.
Borders and Populations, Gender and Sexuality, Race and Ethnicity, Religion, Spirituality, and Worldview
Nazi salute
The Nazi salute is the act of thrusting one’s straight right arm at an upward angle, hand flat, palm down. Nazi ideology presumes national and genetic superiority, a right to dominate others, seize land, scapegoat, and eliminate entire groups deemed inferior. Today, it is often used to intimidate and to convey sympathies with white supremacist, neo-Nazi, or white nationalist ideas. In the US, Nazi salutes are not illegal at the federal level; political symbols and gestures have generally been regarded as forms of constitutionally protected speech. Because gesture users can leverage what they know about journalistic practices to dodge accountability, denial of intent should not be taken at face value, and adopting the gesture maker’s language as your own can compromise accurate coverage. Interviewing individuals or organizations with established expertise in identifying antisemitic or otherwise bigoted activity, as well as knowledge of area cultural practices, will strengthen reporting.
Gender-affirming care
Gender-affirming care is a comprehensive approach to health care that enables people to align with their gender identity. Examples include hormone therapy, updated pronouns on medical records, and breast augmentation or reduction. While gender-affirming care is culturally associated with transgender people, it is accessed by people of all genders. With respect to transgender people specifically, framing access to gender-affirming healthcare as “critical” or “life-saving” medical care can help communicate its established efficacy and safety when appropriately administered. The Trans Journalists Association urges reporters to avoid invasive questions and to use medically accurate terms when such details are necessary. When reporting on transgender communities, it is especially important to protect sources, who face increased risk of violence, discrimination or harassment.
Class and Social Standing, Disabilities, Neurodiversity, and Chronic Illness, Gender and Sexuality, Race and Ethnicity
historically underserved, underrepresented
“Historically underserved” describes people who have been disproportionately harmed by systemic inequities that grant certain groups privileges or advantages over others. The term acknowledges the enduring effects of longstanding discrimination. “Underrepresented” is a related term that specifically references the distribution of a given group within certain contexts—e.g., representation in Hollywood, sports, industry leadership positions, or politics. These terms can be useful for drawing attention to the effects of exclusionary policies and practices that have been reinforced over years, decades, or centuries. Related terms, such as “marginalized” or “vulnerable,” carry more stigma. When used in a catch-all way, they can lack precision, diminish human agency, fail to hold responsible parties accountable, and obscure the possibility of change. Using active, rather than passive, language helps promote understanding. Asking sources how they prefer to be identified will help you accurately reflect people’s senses of self as terminology evolves.
Race and Ethnicity, Class and Social Standing, Disabilities, Neurodiversity, and Chronic Illness, Gender and Sexuality, Religion, Spirituality, and Worldview
Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI)
Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) refers to a framework of organizational values and practices developed to counteract discrimination and bias, broaden participation, and promote equitable treatment and opportunities across professional, institutional, and social contexts. Rooted in the US civil rights movement of the 1960s, DEI became formalized in the 1980s and 1990s through the work of human resources professionals, management consultants, and educators. Over time, the scope of DEI came to include a broad range of communities and values. While skepticism toward DEI has existed for decades across a broad ideological spectrum, the 2020s witnessed the emergence of a concentrated political movement to restrict or dismantle DEI programs, primarily led by conservative policymakers and activists. When reporting on DEI, specific language that reflects the precise goals or values in question can provide necessary clarity, and it is often wise to confirm whether a source or organization actually identifies its work as DEI before applying the term.
Class and Social Standing, Gender and Sexuality, Race and Ethnicity, Religion, Spirituality, and Worldview
culture war
“Culture war” is a recurring term in political discourse that refers to arguments over a broad range of topics, for instance racial and gender equity, secularism, substance use, and freedom of expression. The term “culture war” is nonspecific and may largely serve to confuse or gloss over issues if it’s used without context. Consider carefully whether the term serves your reporting, and whether divisions over an issue are as profound as some sources may make them out to be. Keep in mind that issues like abortion, immigration, and affirmative action aren’t simply “cultural”; they have direct short-and long-term political and socioeconomic impacts on many people.
medical gaslighting
“Medical gaslighting” describes situations in which a practitioner minimizes or dismisses a patient’s experience of their own symptoms or disorder. Medical gaslighting is frequently viewed as a symptom of implicit bias, a moment when a physician’s entrenched, unexamined prejudices undermine their ability to appropriately diagnose and provide care. Research has shown that women and people of color are far more likely to be misdiagnosed or have their symptoms dismissed, sometimes with fatal effects. Careful coverage may take into account an “official” diagnosis but will also consider the details of someone’s lived experience and systemic factors and entrenched biases that may affect diagnosis and quality of treatment.
childless / child-free
Childless and child-free refer to the experience of people who have no children. Social implications can differ between the terms when discussing an adult’s choice of whether to become a parent. Child-free often refers to people who consciously decide not to become a parent, while childless may refer to either those who don’t yet have children but want to at some point in the future or those who want to have children now but cannot. More neutral phrasing, if necessary and relevant to include in coverage, is something like “has no children,” though as with any identifier, taking into account a person’s preference when possible ensures coverage aligns with their lived experience.
asexual
Asexuality is a sexual orientation characterized by a lack of sexual attraction. It’s not a choice, nor is it sexual dysfunction. Because asexual individuals (“aces”) vary in their inclination toward sexual behavior, asexuality exists on a spectrum. Using the term as an adjective (“asexual person” vs. “an asexual”) recognizes that a person’s sexuality is just one aspect of their identity. “Ace,” however, can be used as a noun or adjective, though some explanation may be helpful if using the shortened term. As with any identifier, taking into account an individual’s preference wherever possible ensures coverage aligns with their lived experience.
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