The quality of being considered respectable, worthy of honor, or socially acceptable.
From 'respectable' (worthy of respect) + '-ity' (noun suffix indicating a state or quality). 'Respectable' comes from Latin 'respectabilis.' The concept of respectability as a social standard became especially important in Victorian society.
The Victorian era became absolutely obsessed with 'respectability'—it was almost a religion of proper manners and appearance! Ironically, this rigid concept of respectability actually helped social progress because people had to argue within its framework for why women and workers deserved respect.
Respectability politics have historically policed women's and racialized communities' behavior as prerequisite for rights; the term encodes narrow moral gatekeeping rooted in patriarchal standards.
Be explicit about whose standards define 'respectability.' Prefer 'credibility,' 'integrity,' or 'legitimacy' when independence from power-laden judgment is intended.
["credibility","integrity","legitimacy","reliability"]
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