Friendly and generous behavior toward guests or strangers, especially by welcoming and taking care of them.
From Old French “hospitalité,” from Latin “hospitalitas,” from “hospes,” meaning “guest” or “host.” It originally referred to the obligation to care for travelers and strangers.
Hospitality carries the same root as “hospital,” but here the focus is on warmth instead of medicine. In many traditional cultures, hospitality to strangers was a sacred duty, not just good manners.
'Hospitality' work, both unpaid in the home and paid in service industries, has historically been feminized, with expectations that women perform emotional and domestic labor. This has often led to undervaluation and invisibility of women’s work in maintaining households, communities, and businesses.
Use 'hospitality' without assuming women are naturally suited to or responsible for such work; recognize hospitality labor across genders and its economic value.
When discussing hospitality sectors or traditions, acknowledge the central but often under-credited role of women and gender-diverse workers in sustaining these systems.
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