To start or provoke an action or event, especially something bad like trouble, conflict, or rebellion.
From Latin 'instigare' meaning 'to urge on, incite', from 'in-' (toward) + 'stigare' (to prick, goad). The sense of poking something into action carried into English.
To instigate is to be the hidden spark that starts the fire. You might not do the action yourself, but you pull the first thread that makes everything else unravel.
Women who “instigate” change or protest have often been portrayed as troublemakers or agitators, while similar actions by men are more likely to be framed as leadership or strategy. The term has been used to criminalize or pathologize women’s organizing.
Use “instigate” carefully when describing activism or social change, and avoid gendered double standards in labeling actions as instigation versus leadership. Be specific about whether the behavior is harmful or constructive.
["initiate","spark","provoke (contextual)"]
In accounts of social movements, recognize women who instigated strikes, boycotts, or campaigns that improved rights and conditions, even when they were vilified at the time.
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