Lacking confidence in yourself or worried that you're not good enough; also means not safe or protected.
From Latin 'insecurus,' combining 'in-' (not) and 'securus' (secure, from 'se' meaning without and 'cura' meaning care/worry).
The word literally means 'not without care'—it's the opposite of being carefree—and psychologists find that insecurity peaks in adolescence exactly when social media shows you everyone's highlight reel, making comparison unavoidable.
Insecurity has been gendered feminine in marketing and psychology; women are disproportionately targeted with insecurity-based advertising and pathologized for self-doubt.
Apply term universally; acknowledge that self-doubt is human, not gender-specific. Avoid reinforcing gendered vulnerability stereotypes.
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