Active describes someone or something that is doing things, moving, or working. It can refer to physical movement, mental effort, or ongoing processes.
From Latin 'activus', meaning 'doing, effective', from 'agere' (to do, act). The idea is of something that is in motion rather than at rest.
Active isn’t just about sports; it’s about not being on pause. You can be physically active, mentally active, or even have an active volcano—each one is in the middle of doing something.
In many languages and cultures, being active, assertive, or sexually initiating has been coded as masculine, while women were expected to be passive, especially in sexuality and leadership. These norms shaped judgments about women who were physically or socially active, often stigmatizing them.
Use “active” neutrally for roles, lifestyles, or voices, and avoid reinforcing stereotypes that only men are active agents or that women should be passive.
["engaged","involved","dynamic"]
Women have long been active in labor, politics, science, and sports, even when records and narratives underreported their contributions.
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