Open to new ideas and willing to change traditional views, often supporting individual rights and freedoms. As a noun, it can mean a person with such political or social beliefs.
From Latin *liberalis* meaning “of a free person, generous, noble,” from *liber* (free). It once described education suited to free citizens, not slaves, before becoming a political term.
‘Liberal’ originally meant generous and suitable for free citizens, not a left-right political label. Different countries now use it in almost opposite ways—sometimes meaning pro-market, sometimes pro-welfare—which confuses learners everywhere.
'Liberal' as a political descriptor intersects with gender in debates over reproductive rights, gender equality, and LGBTQ+ rights. In some contexts, 'liberal' has been used pejoratively against feminists and gender‑equality advocates.
Use 'liberal' descriptively for political philosophies or policies, and avoid using it as a gendered insult or shorthand for any stance on women’s or LGBTQ+ rights without nuance.
["progressive","center‑left","classical liberal","social liberal"]
Many women and gender‑diverse thinkers have shaped liberal political theory and practice, even when their contributions were marginalized in canonical accounts.
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