To face a difficult person, problem, or situation directly, instead of avoiding it.
From Latin *confrontare*, meaning "to stand face to face" (*con-* "together" + *frons* "forehead, front"). It originally described literal face-to-face encounters.
To confront is literally to bring foreheads to the front—two faces lined up, no hiding. It feels scary, but it’s often the moment when vague worries turn into something you can actually deal with.
The idea of ‘confronting’ problems or authority has often been coded as masculine, while women’s confrontation of injustice has been stereotyped as inappropriate or emotional. Women activists confronting discrimination have historically been delegitimized or punished.
Use ‘confront’ neutrally for anyone addressing problems or power structures, and avoid gendered judgments about who is ‘too confrontational.’
["address directly","raise with","challenge","face"]
Women across movements—labor, civil rights, suffrage, and contemporary feminist and LGBTQ+ activism—have confronted unjust systems, often at significant personal risk, reshaping laws and norms.
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