A-F | exploresmf

This dictionary has been created for the purpose of allowing readers of this website to better understand commonly used terms in SMF. Through SMF, we gained a new vocabulary that now feels common to us, but we recognize that many of these terms are jargon that people who have not spent years in the program may not know yet. Because of this, we hope that readers can turn to this dictionary to better understand certain areas of the website, as well as, come to understand the many terms that have helped shape our values and understanding. We hope that these words may spike interest to learn more by joining our wonderful program!

A

Ableism - “Discrimination or prejudice against individuals with disabilities” (Merriam-Webster Dictionary, n.d.).

Accessibility - Designing material that is able to be easily accessed by individuals of all abilities (Interaction Design Foundation, n.d.).

Activist - “One who advocates or practices activism : a person who uses or supports strong actions (such as public protests) in support of or opposition to one side of a controversial issue” (Merriam-Webster Dictionary, n.d.).

Ageism - “The stereotyping, prejudice, and discrimination against people on the basis of their age” (Merriam-Webster Dictionary, n.d.).

AIDS - “A set of symptoms caused by advanced or stage 3 HIV, called acquired immune deficiency syndrome (AIDS). The virus is considered to have progressed to AIDS when the immune system is too weak to fight off certain infections and cancers, becoming life threatening. Even after cell count goes back up and their immune system improves, the individual is still considered to have AIDS” (Avert, 2018, para. 5).

Androgyny - “The quality or state of being neither specifically feminine or masculine: the combination of feminine and masculine characteristics: the quality or state of being androgynous” (Merriam-Webster Dictionary, n.d.).

Anti-Oppressive Practices - “Embodies a person-centred philosophy; an egalitarian value system concerned with reducing the deleterious effects of structural inequalities upon people’s lives; a methodology focusing on both process and outcome; and a way of structuring relationships between individuals that aims to empower users by reducing the negative effects of social hierarchies on their interaction and the work they do together” (Strier & Binyamin, 2014, p. 2096).

Anxious Attachment - “Defined by insecurity concerning the responses of others

together with a strong desire for intimacy and a high fear of rejection” (Henschel, Nandrino, & Doba, 2020, p. 1).

Asexuality - A category of people “who have a lack of sexual attraction to anyone or anything” (Rathus, Nevid, Fichner-Rathus, & McKay, 2016, p. 217). People who identify as asexual, may still experience romantic attractions to others (Rathus, Nevid, Fichner-Rathus, & McKay, 2016).

Attachment Style - “A person’s characteristic ways of relating in intimate caregiving and receiving relationships with ‘‘attachment figures,’’ often one’s parents, children, and romantic partners” (Levy, Ellison, Scott, & Bernecker, 2011, p. 193).

Avoidant Attachment - “Characterized by insecurity concerning the intentions of others, a rejection of assistance, and reduced expressions of affection and intimacy” (Henschel, Nandrino, & Doba, 2020, p. 1).

B

BDSM - “Refers to a range of sexual preferences that generally relate to enjoyment of physical control, psychological control, and/or pain. It can be broken down into six overarching components: bondage and discipline, domination and submission, and sadism and masochism. Bondage and discipline consist of using physical or psychological restraints, domination and submission involve an exchange of power and control, and sadism and masochism refer to taking pleasure in others' or one's own pain or humiliation. Those who practice BDSM may identify with one or more, in any combination, of these components” (Merriam-Webster Dictionary, n.d.).

Bondage - “Sadomasochistic sexual practices involving the physical restraint of one partner” (Merriam-Webster Dictionary, n.d.).

Boundaries - “The lines you draw that help others know how you want to be treated. If you don’t have healthy boundaries, you might be passively relying on others to know how you want to be treated. While we would all love for people to consider others before themselves, that’s not reality” (Guldbrand, 2020, p. 21).

Burnout - “A psychological syndrome that results from exposure to chronic work-related stress (Lee et al., 2010). It has been described by Maslach as a condition in which professionals “lose all concern, all emotional feeling for the people they work with, and come to treat them in a detached or even dehumanized way”” (Kansoun, Boyer, Hodgkinson, Villes, Lançon, & Fond, 2019, p. 132).

C

Classism - “The marginalization, derision, alienation, and discrimination of a group of people based upon their perceived social or economic standing” (Liu, 2011; Lott, 2002; Partiali et al., 2013; Thompson & Subich, 2013, as cited in Choi & Miller, 2018, p. 765).

Commitment - Robert Sternberg (1986) created the triangular theory of love whereby, “love can be understood in terms of three components that together can be viewed as forming the vertices of a triangle”(p. 119); these components include intimacy, passion and commitment. Commitment is described as the, “component of love [that] consists of two aspects, a short-term one and a long-term one. The short-term one is the decision that one loves a certain other. The long-term aspect is the commitment to maintain that love” (Sternberg, 1986, p. 122).

Common Law Relationship - “A relationship in which two people live together as a couple but are not legally married. The term can refer to both opposite- and same-sex couples. Some jurisdictions recognize a common-law relationship as marriage” (Rathus, Nevid, Fichner-Rathus, & McKay, 2016, p. 309).

Companionate Love - Robert Sternberg (1986) created the triangular theory of love whereby, “love can be understood in terms of three components that together can be viewed as forming the vertices of a triangle”(p. 119); these components include intimacy, passion and commitment. Companionate love is the result of combining two of these components and is described as the, “kind of love evolves from a combination of the intimacy and decision/commitment components of love. It is essentially a long-term, committed friendship, the kind that frequently occurs in marriages in which the physical attraction (a major source of passion) has died down” (Sternberg, 1986, p. 124).

Compersion - “The opposite of jealousy---not just the absence of jealousy, but the experience of an opposite emotion (joy or happiness) when learning that a romantic partner is sexually involved with another lover” (Aumer, Bellew, Ito, Hatfield, & Heck, 2014, p. 3).

Conflict - “To be different, opposed, or contradictory : to fail to be in agreement or accord” (Merriam-Webster Dictionary, n.d.). In SMF, we often talk about conflict in terms of relationships. This is often in terms of conflict styles, which refers to the way a person approaches and attempts to resolve conflict.

Consensual Non-Monogamy (CNM) - “An umbrella term, which covers several different relationship configurations. Despite the ambiguity in terminology, all CNM relationships involve structures in which one or both partners engage in emotional and/or sexual relationships with other people. There is often a mutual understanding and agreement between partners regarding these relationships (Cohen & Wilson, 2017, p. 1).

Consent - “A voluntary agreement to engage in sexual activity. Consent for any sexual activity must be freely given. Consent cannot be given by someone who is intoxicated, unconscious, or otherwise considered incapable of giving their consent. Consent can also not be freely given if it follows from threats to personal safety, or threats to harm others” (The Society of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists of Canada, n.d., para. 1).

Consummate Love - Robert Sternberg (1986) created the triangular theory of love whereby, “love can be understood in terms of three components that together can be viewed as forming the vertices of a triangle”(p. 119); these components include intimacy, passion and commitment. Consummate love is the result of combining all three components of intimacy, passion and commitment, and it is also known as complete love (Sternberg, 1986). “It is a kind of love toward which many of us strive, especially in romantic relationships” (Sternberg, 1986, p.124).

Criminalization - “To make illegal; to turn into a criminal or treat as criminal” (Merriam-Webster, n.d.). SMF Expansion: When discussing how groups are marginalized, we often bring up the topic of criminalization, and how certain behaviours or defining features of said marginalized groups (such as laws against homosexuality) are created and culturally reinforced through social stigmas, stereotypes, and impossible standards to which these groups are held. It is an oppressive tactic meant to delegitimize a group and to prevent this group from obtaining resources, social equity, or justice based on their criminalized identities.

Critical Thinking - Scriven & Paul (2004) define it as “the mode of thinking in which the thinker improves the quality of his or her thinking by skillfully taking charge of the structures inherent in thinking and imposing intellectual standards upon them” (as cited in Ghanizadeh, 2016, p. 102). That being said, Moore (2013) argues that it is difficult to create one solid definition of critical thinking because there are many different views on the matter. Barnett (1997) argues that there are four different categories of critical thinking. He describes these as, disciplinary competence, practical knowledge, political engagement, and strategic thinking (as cited in Moore, 2013). This means that there is not just one mode of critical thinking and to reduce it to one would mean missing out on true critical thought (Moore, 2013). Williams (1976) explains that the variations of the term may allow for an “extra edge of consciousness” (as cited in Moore, 2013, p. 23).

D

Demisexual - “A person who does not experience sexual attraction unless they form a strong emotional connection with someone” (Lord, 2016).

Disability - “Defining disability is a complex, evolving matter. The term “disability” covers a broad range and degree of conditions. A disability may have been present at birth, caused by an accident, or developed over time. Section 10 of the Human Rights Code defines “disability” as:

Any degree of physical disability, infirmity, malformation or disfigurement that is caused by bodily injury, birth defect or illness and, without limiting the generality of the foregoing, includes diabetes mellitus, epilepsy, a brain injury, any degree of paralysis, amputation, lack of physical coordination, blindness or visual impediment, deafness or hearing impediment, muteness or speech impediment, or physical reliance on a guide dog or other animal or on a wheelchair or other remedial appliance or device,
A condition of mental impairment or a developmental disability,
A learning disability, or a dysfunction in one or more of the processes involved in understanding or using symbols or spoken language,
A mental disorder, or
An injury or disability for which benefits were claimed or received under the insurance plan established under the Workplace Safety and Insurance Act, 1997” (Ontario Human Rights Commission, n.d.).

Discourse - This term comes from Michel Foucault. “Michel Foucault (1926–1984) was a French historian and philosopher, associated with the structuralist and post-structuralist movements. He has had strong influence not only (or even primarily) in philosophy but also in a wide range of humanistic and social scientific disciplines” (Gutting, 2018). In SMF we often refer to Foucault and his findings on discourse, power, control, knowledge, and sexuality. Foucault adopted the term discourse to mean, “a ﬁeld or set of truths, the works and writings on a given subject, which determine, as well as reﬂect, the reality we perceive” (Bristowe & Harris, 2014, p. 552).

E

Egalitarianism - “A belief in human equality especially with respect to social, political, and economic affairs” (Merriam-Webster, n.d.).

Empathy - “Dating back to the 1880s when German psychologist Theodore Lipps coined the term “einfuhling” (literally, “in-feeling”) to describe the emotional appreciation of another’s feelings. Empathy has further been described as the process of understanding a person’s subjective experience by vicariously sharing that experience while maintaining an observant stance (Zinn, 1999). Empathy also means being able to recognize others’ feelings, the cause of these feelings, and to be able to participate in the emotional experience of an individual without becoming part of it (Keen, 2007)” (Ioannidou & Konstantikaki, 2008, p. 119).

Empty Love - Robert Sternberg (1986) created the triangular theory of love whereby, “love can be understood in terms of three components that together can be viewed as forming the vertices of a triangle”(p. 119); these components include intimacy, passion and commitment. Empty love is the result of combining two of these components and it is described as the, “kind of love emanates from the decision that one loves another and has commitment to that love in the absence of both the intimacy and passion components of love. It is the kind of love one sometimes finds in stagnant relationships that have been going on for years but that have lost both the mutual emotional involvement and physical attraction that once characterized them” (Sternberg, 1986, p. 124).

Equality - Defined as “the quality or state of being equal” (Merriam-Webster, n.d.). SMF Expansion: Equality does not exist where the assumption of being equal does. It is only through understanding what forces are at play in making everyone unequal that true equality can be sought.

Erotica - “Written works, usually fiction, dealing with sexual love. Sexually explicit art, photographs, sculptures, or the like, depicting human sexuality” (Dictionary.com, n.d.). In SMF we often hold erotica in a higher regard than porn. This is because erotica is often more realistic, more respectful, and deals more with emotions than porn does.

Ethnicity - “An ethnic group; a social group that shares a common and distinctive culture, religion, language, or the like: ethnic traits, background, allegiance, or association” (Merriam-Webster, n.d.).

F

Fatuous Love - Robert Sternberg (1986) created the triangular theory of love whereby, “love can be understood in terms of three components that together can be viewed as forming the vertices of a triangle”(p. 119); these components include intimacy, passion and commitment. Fatuous love is the result of combining two of these components and is described as, “the combination of the passion and decision/commitment components in the absence of the intimacy component. It is the kind of love we sometimes associate with Hollywood, or with whirlwind courtships, in which a couple meets on Day X, gets engaged two weeks later, and marries the next month” (Sternberg, 1986, p. 124).

Feminism - The term feminism is one that scholars have a hard time narrowing down to one definition (Phillips & Cree, 2014). This is due to the four waves of feminism and the many branches that have developed from these waves such as, liberal feminism, radical feminism, marxist feminism, black feminism, intersectional feminism, post-structural feminism, and many more. Feminism means many things to many different people, but Merriam-Webster Dictionary (n.d.) defines it as, “the theory of the political, economic, and social equality of the sexes” and “organized activity on behalf of women's rights and interests”.

First Wave Feminism (1840s –1920s) - First wave feminism was a time of fighting for equal contract and property rights for women (Phillips & Cree, 2014). They fought for, “women’s right to vote; for legislation to protect women and girls from prostitution and what was then called ‘the perils and evils of the white slave trade’ (Cree, 1996); for ‘social purity’ and as part of this, for legislation to raise the age of sexual consent and to criminalise incest; for women’s access to higher education and to the professions of medicine, law and accountancy” (Phillips & Cree, 2014, p. 936). This wave of feminism was largely rooted in the sexual division of labour (Phillips & Cree, 2014). However, there were problems in this wave of feminism as it was oblivious to classism, homophobia and racism (Phillips & Cree, 2014).
Second Wave Feminism (Early 1960s–Late 1980s) - The second wave of feminism came after the Second World War changed the lives of women (Phillips & Cree, 2014). During this wave, feminists advocated for women’s reproductive rights which included abortion, they advocated for, “equal rights in employment, education, public and private lives; against rape and domestic violence; against pornography and prostitution” (Phillips & Cree, 2014, p. 937). This wave recognized the link between individual, social and political inequalities and coined the term ‘the person is political’ (Phillips & Cree, 2014).
Third Wave Feminism (Late 1980s–2013 )- The third wave of feminism “reflected postmodern ideas; it allowed for individual choice, and some of the certainties could no longer be taken for granted” (Mani, 2013, as cited in Phillips & Cree, 2014, p. 938). This wave accepted the different branches of feminism and took in Judith Butler’s idea that gender is a performance (Phillips & Cree, 2014). During this time, the ‘Men’s Movement’ began in which some men believed that feminism had gone too far and that women were out to get men (Phillips & Cree, 2014). Due to this, feminism took a shift and decided that it needed to consider men, women and children (Phillips & Cree, 2014).
Fourth Wave Feminism (2008 Onwards) - The fourth wave of feminism “has been driven by a mix of ‘old-guard’ feminists, and young women and young men within public domains such as politics, business and entertainment” (Phillips & Cree, 2014, p. 938). This wave of feminism is largely due to the emergence of social media in the way that it made room for feminist debates and resistance (Phillips & Cree, 2014). Baumgardner (2011) argues that, “the fourth wave evolved to take forward the agenda of third wave feminists, observing that ‘their experience of the online universe was that it was just part of life, not something that landed in their world like an alien spaceship ... ’; while zines and songs were innovations of the third wave, the fourth wavers introduced the use of blogs, Twitter campaigns and online media with names like Racialiscious and Feministing” (Phillips & Cree, 2014, p. 938). This wave is intersectional in it’s inclusiveness of diverse sexualities and cultures (Phillips & Cree, 2014). Additionally, through this wave sexism and misogyny are challenged (Phillips & Cree, 2014). These feminists argue that they are not ‘man-hating’ or ‘bra-burning’, rather they seek equality through removing the power imbalance that exists through gender (Phillips & Cree, 2014).

Fetishism - “A paraphilia in which an inanimate object such as an article of clothing or items made of rubber, leather, or silk, elicits arousal” (Rathus, Nevid, Fichner-Rathus, & McKay, 2016, p. 408).