womanism

Etymology

From woman + -ism. Coined by Alice Walker in 1983.

womanism means An extension to feminism that incorporates respect for women of all races and classes. Lexicurio rates it Sui generis — a strength score of 91 out of 100.

Why this word is great

WOMANISM — [Noun] A social theory and movement, primarily championed by Black feminists, that extends feminism by centering the experiences, history, and community-oriented values of women of color, particularly Black women. From woman (from Old English wīfmann, "woman") + the suffix -ism (denoting a distinctive practice, system, or philosophy). Coined by author Alice Walker in 1983. Unlike feminism (which, in its dominant historical narrative, often universalized from white, middle-class struggles) or Africana womanism (which advocates a culturally separatist stance), womanism insists on an integrative praxis that addresses interlocking oppressions while maintaining a compassionate, culturally-rooted connection to community. It is the strategic coalition built in a church basement over sweet potato pie, the quiet wisdom of a grandmother's story that contains both wound and salve, and the audacious act of planting a garden in soil declared barren—a philosophy born from the imperative to cultivate a world where survival is not a private act, but a communal harvest.

noun

An extension to feminism that incorporates respect for women of all races and classes.“Although womanism raises the issue of gender, it simultaneously offers a distance from the “enemy,” in this case, Whites generally and White women in particular.”