A belief, custom, or way of doing something that has been passed down from older people to younger people over time.
It comes from Latin 'traditio', meaning 'a handing over' or 'delivery', from 'tradere' meaning 'to hand over' or 'to deliver'. The idea is that customs are literally 'handed down' through generations.
Every tradition is like a message passed hand-to-hand through time, slightly changed with each person who carries it. When you follow a tradition, you’re quietly joining a chain of people you’ll never meet.
Many traditions have historically enforced gender roles, restricting women and gender minorities from education, property rights, or public life. The term is often invoked to justify maintaining unequal power structures, including patriarchal norms.
When referencing tradition, be explicit about whether the tradition is inclusive or exclusionary, and avoid using 'tradition' as a neutral justification for gender-based exclusion.
["custom","practice","longstanding practice","community practice"]
Women and gender-diverse people have preserved, adapted, and created traditions—especially in language, storytelling, and care work—often without formal recognition.
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