Credibility is the quality of being trusted or believed. A person, idea, or source with high credibility seems honest, accurate, and reliable.
From Latin *crēdibilis* meaning “worthy of belief,” from *crēdere* “to believe, to trust.” It entered English via French in the 17th century, keeping the sense of something that deserves belief.
Credibility is like invisible money in a ‘trust bank’—every honest action makes a deposit, and every lie makes a withdrawal. Once you lose a lot of credibility, it’s extremely hard to earn it back, which is why experts guard it so carefully.
Women's and gender minorities' credibility has often been discounted in courts, workplaces, and science, leading to patterns where their testimony or expertise is doubted more than men's. Concepts like 'credibility deficit' and 'testimonial injustice' capture these gendered patterns.
Be explicit about how credibility judgments can be biased by gender, and focus on evidence and expertise rather than stereotypes.
["trustworthiness","reliability"]
Women scholars and activists have documented and challenged systematic credibility gaps, especially around harassment, assault, and workplace discrimination.
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