To protect someone or something is to keep them safe from harm, damage, or danger.
From Latin *protegere* 'to cover in front, shield', from *pro-* 'in front' and *tegere* 'to cover'. It pictured putting a cover or shield before someone.
Protection is about standing 'in front' of what you care about, like a living shield. Even digital protections—like passwords—are just new kinds of covers we place between danger and what matters.
Cultural narratives have often framed men as protectors and women as those needing protection, reinforcing gendered power dynamics and sometimes justifying control over women’s choices. Protection rhetoric has also been used selectively, ignoring harms faced by marginalized genders.
Use "protect" without assuming who is protector and who is protected; emphasize mutual protection, institutional responsibilities, and respect for autonomy.
["safeguard","defend","ensure the safety of"]
When discussing protection, acknowledge that women and gender-diverse people have long protected families, communities, and movements, even when not recognized as protectors in dominant narratives.
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