Difference between revisions of "Infantilization"
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| − | Treating a person or category of people as if they were children, when they in | + | Treating a person or category of people as if they were children or childish, when they in fact are not. While this does NOT apply to treating children as the children they are, it does apply to treating a child (by any definition of the word) as far younger and less mature than they actually are. |
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| + | Infantilization can be done in many ways, ranging from the very overt (such as outright claiming that women or [[racified]] people can't think for themselves) to the very subtle (such as treating women or racified people as if they can't think for themselves). | ||
When applied to a category of human beings, this is a [[facet of categorism]]. | When applied to a category of human beings, this is a [[facet of categorism]]. | ||
Revision as of 00:58, 15 March 2015
Treating a person or category of people as if they were children or childish, when they in fact are not. While this does NOT apply to treating children as the children they are, it does apply to treating a child (by any definition of the word) as far younger and less mature than they actually are.
Infantilization can be done in many ways, ranging from the very overt (such as outright claiming that women or racified people can't think for themselves) to the very subtle (such as treating women or racified people as if they can't think for themselves).
When applied to a category of human beings, this is a facet of categorism.
Interactions
This facet of categorism is an expression of prejudice, bigotry and discrimination.
It is likely to intersect with facets such as:
- Voice Appropriation: Constructing people as incapable (being too naive, brainwashed, or whatever) of speaking for themselves.
As well as with abstractions such as:
- Zero-category: Assuming that only "normal people" - those who belong to the zero-category - can be counted on as responsible adults.
Examples of applying this facet to a particular foci of categorism can include:
- Misogyny: Constructing women as being somewhere between men and children.
- Whorephobia: Arguing from the premise that unrepentant sex workers cannot possibly understand what they are doing or know their own good.
