A notice of a person’s death, usually printed in a newspaper or online, often with a short story of their life. It may include funeral details and surviving family members.
From Medieval Latin “obituarius,” meaning “record of deaths,” from “obitus” (departure, death), from “obire” (to go to, to die). It originally referred to lists of the dead kept by churches.
An obituary is like a very short biography written at the end of someone’s life, often highlighting what they valued most. Reading them can be strangely uplifting, because they focus on connections, achievements, and the stories people leave behind.
Obituaries have historically highlighted men’s public achievements while reducing women’s lives to family roles or omitting them altogether. Women’s professional and civic contributions were often underreported or framed as secondary.
When writing obituaries, represent people of all genders with balanced attention to professional, personal, and community contributions, and avoid defaulting to domestic roles for women unless they choose that emphasis.
Correcting gender bias in obituaries helps restore recognition of women’s work and leadership that were previously minimized or ignored.
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