In the
feminist world,
needed words have many conntations. Most begin with people (although, in this
context, those people are usually
women) trying to express something and finding that there is no
word for what they are trying to say. Here are
some of the possible interpritations:
A word for the deception many women must practice to survive psychologically, a word which doesn't blame the victim.
A word for the fact that, whatever a woman does, it's her fault.
A positive word for the condition of not having two breasts; thousands of women each year have breast surgery which removes one or both breasts partially or in their entirety.
A positive word fo the decision not to have children and for the state of not having children.
A word or phrase to introduce and describe partners and other relationships without using the prossesive "my" (ie: "my" wife/husband, "my" partner)
A positive and active verb to describe female sexuality. "I know no non-degraded English verb for the activity of sexual expression that would allow a construction parallel to, for example, 'I am working,' a phrase that could apply to nearly any activity." (Catherine A. MacKinnon, 1982)
A word for woman that connotates an individual, an autonomous human being rather than a qualifying term that calls attention to the man/woman barrier.
A positive word to take the place of "not sexist."
A term for a male friend who is not a "boyfriend."
A word other than "lover" to name the other partner in a lesbian relationship.
A word for "the problem that had no name."
A word for the erasure, inadvertant or systematic, of women from history.
A word for women's strength.