Machoman

The personification of Le Guin's definition of the patriarchy. Examples include Gastón from Beauty and the Beast, Hemingway, and Ron Swanson.

Warrior

Another personification tool that Le Guin uses to denote male society's violent proclivities. Not to be confused with this guy.

Mills College

A liberal arts and sciences college in Oakland, CA, Mills College was the first women's college west of the Rockies and, apparently, the first college to allow a commencement speaker to deliver a public address in the language of women.

Second Wave Feminism

Although many feminists disagree about the Second Wave's significance, duration, and priorities, it can loosely be defined as the wave of feminism that focused on issues of equality in nonviolent actions. Lasting roughly from the early 1960s through the 1980s (and this is where we find a lot of contention about whether it ended or continues today), it typically is characterized as the movement for women's rights that succeeded the suffrage moment in the US and UK.

Reaganism

Much like people can't agree on an exact definition for feminism, Reaganism is similarly a broad and vague term. Basically, it alludes to a political ideology based on Ronald Reagan's presidency, that is simultaneously flexible and conservative.

(Here's a good article that will both enlighten and confuse you further.)

The Patriarchy

This bad boy is a social system in which males hold primary power, predominate in roles of political leadership, moral authority, social privilege and control of property. It's often used by feminists in a derogatory sense, but it also has its roots in cultural traditions.

Misogyny

The official definition of misogyny is "the dislike of, contempt for, or ingrained prejudice against women." And we think this cartoon does a pretty good job of summing it up.

Post-Feminism

A term used to describe…well…just about everything that happens in regards to feminism after the Second Wave.

Sometimes it's used in the sense that feminism is over. Sometimes it's used to describe different goals than the ones the second-wavers had. It can get a wee bit confusing.

Head on over to this article to read about post-feminism and Amy Schumer.

The Left Hand of Darkness

A book written by Ursula Le Guin about an androgynous society on the planet Gethen. Get the full scoop on Shmoop.

Third Wave Feminism

Like Post-Feminism, Third Wave feminism is another hotly-debated term. Basically, it refers to several different schools of thought within the broader subject of feminism that arose after the Second Wave, typically those that began in the early 1990s and involving a greater inclusion of women of color.