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Glossary of Key Terms

A

Addams, Jane (1860-1935): Social reformer who founded Hull House, a settlement house in Chicago's slums designed to help poor immigrants through teaching home economics, sanitation, and child care; known as "housekeeper of society."

B

Bisexual: Sexual orientation characterized by attraction to both sexes/genders.

C

Cisgender: Term describing individuals whose gender identity aligns with the sex they were assigned at birth.

Coeducation: The integrated education of students of different genders in the same institution or classroom.

Combahee River Collective (CRC): Black feminist lesbian organization (1974) that produced one of the most significant Black feminist documents, articulating the need to struggle simultaneously against racism and sexism.

Cult of true womanhood: Ideology from 1820-1860 idealizing White women as domestic, submissive, pliable, and pious, expected to uphold moral virtue.

D

Davis v. Monroe County Board of Education (1999): Supreme Court case establishing that schools are liable for student-to-student sexual harassment if aware but fail to stop it.

E

Eating disorders: Mental health conditions involving abnormal eating habits, including anorexia and bulimia in girls, and bigorexia (obsessive muscle mass increase) in boys.

Ethics of care: Educational theory developed by Nel Noddings emphasizing care, relationships, and responsiveness to individual needs as central to moral education and teaching.

F

Franklin v. Gwinnett County Public Schools (1992): Landmark Supreme Court case, first to award compensatory damages under Title IX for a school's failure to address sexual harassment complaint.

Fugitive project: Term describing the outlawed and criminalized education of enslaved people who had to resort to extreme measures to learn.

G

Gay: Term typically describing men attracted to other men, though sometimes used broadly for homosexual individuals.

Gebser v. Lago Vista Independent School District (1998): Supreme Court case ruling schools not liable for teacher-student harassment unless administration had actual knowledge.

Gender: Sociocultural construct based on ideas of what it means to be feminine, masculine, or non-binary; differs from biological sex and arises from cultural conventions.

Gender bias: Prejudicial treatment or discrimination based on gender identity, both overt and subtle in educational and social contexts.

Gender stereotypes: Oversimplified beliefs about characteristics or roles that should be possessed or performed by people of different genders.

Gender stratification: Hierarchical arrangement and unequal distribution of power, resources, and opportunities between genders in institutions and workplace.

Gilligan, Carol: Psychologist who challenged male-centered theories, arguing women's moral reasoning emphasizes relationships and care rather than abstract justice principles.

H

Hartford Female Seminary: Private girls' school founded by Catherine Beecher in 1823; platform for advocating public schooling, coeducation, and teacher preparation.

Health intelligence: Socialized focus on physical and emotional health; girls often socialized toward this approach.

Heroic intelligence: Socialized focus on risk-taking rather than health; boys often socialized toward this, leading to hiding vulnerabilities.

Heteronormativity: Assumption that heterosexuality is the default or "normal" sexual orientation, embedded in social institutions and practices.

Heterosexuality: Sexual orientation characterized by attraction to people of a different sex/gender.

Hidden curriculum: Implicit messages about values and beliefs conveyed through school structures and behaviors, often reinforcing gender stereotypes.

Homosexuality: Sexual orientation characterized by attraction to same sex/gender; historically viewed as sin, crime, or illness.

Hull House: Settlement house founded by Jane Addams in Chicago to help poor immigrants with education and cultural integration.

I

In loco parentis: Latin for "in the place of a parent"; describes educators' legal responsibility to act on behalf of parents during school supervision.

K

Kohlberg, Lawrence (1927-1987): Developmental psychologist who created stage theory of moral development criticized by Gilligan for being based solely on male samples.

L

League of Women Voters: Organization founded by Carrie Chapman Catt to help women exercise newly won voting rights effectively.

Lesbian: Term describing women attracted to other women.

Lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer or questioning plus (LGBTQ+): Umbrella term for diverse sexual orientations and gender identities beyond heterosexual and cisgender.

M

Minority stress: Model explaining how anti-LGBTQ+ stigma, prejudice, and discrimination create hostile environments undermining mental health.

Monosexual: Sexual orientation characterized by attraction to only one gender.

Mount Holyoke Female Seminary: School founded by Mary Lyon (1837) offering liberal education equivalent to men's colleges; primary objective to prepare women as teachers.

N

National Association of Colored Women (NACW): Organization formed 1896 with Mary Church Terrell as president; supported education, temperance, health, reform.

National Black Feminist Organization (NBFO): Founded 1973 by Black women feeling alienated from White feminist and Black male-dominated organizations.

National Organization of Women (NOW): Formed 1966 to promote equal employment and educational opportunity, though primarily represented White women's concerns.

Noddings, Nel: Educational philosopher who developed ethic of care theory, arguing care and justice are complementary in education.

P

Peer culture: Shared beliefs, behaviors, and norms constructed by student peer groups that shape attitudes about gender, bodies, sexuality, and beauty.

Piaget, Jean (1896-1980): Swiss developmental psychologist whose theories were criticized by Gilligan for being based primarily on male subjects.

Plurisexual: Sexual orientation characterized by attraction to multiple genders.

Q

Queer theory: Framework defining gender as "performances" repeated through language and actions, with norms enforced through compulsive heterosexuality.

R

Race uplift: Philosophy that education should improve economic, educational, and social conditions of the Black race; particularly ascribed to Black women after the Civil War.

S

Sentimental womanhood: Ideology viewing women as naturally maternal, affectionate, and moral, making them ideal teachers to provide civilizing influence.

Sex: Multidimensional construct based on anatomical and physiological traits; differs from culturally constructed gender.

Sex-segregated: Activities or spaces separating individuals based on sex or gender, such as separate sports teams or bathrooms.

Sexual identity: Person's identity in relation to sexual orientation; what is "normal" depends on historical period and dominant beliefs.

Single-sex education: Educational approach with separate instruction for different genders, either in classrooms or schools; controversial with mixed research results.

Straight: Colloquial term for heterosexual orientation.

T

Temperance movement: Social reform movement advocating control or prohibition of alcoholic beverages; led to 18th Amendment (1920).

Title IX: Federal law (1972) outlawing sex-based discrimination in federally funded educational settings; central to addressing harassment and gender equity.

Transgender: Term describing individuals whose gender identity differs from sex assigned at birth.

Troy Female Seminary: Secondary school founded by Emma Hart Willard in Troy, New York (1821); argued proper female education would enhance national prosperity.

W

Women's liberation movement: Movement (1960s-1970s) focusing attention on status of females and issues of sexism and gender bias in schools and society.

Women's suffrage movement: Movement advocating for women's right to vote; culminated in 19th Amendment (1920).

Women's ways of knowing: Research by Mary Belenky examining gender-specific approaches in education; found women use metaphors like "finding your voice" and benefit from "connected" teaching models.