{"id":1001,"date":"2025-10-16T15:10:27","date_gmt":"2025-10-16T15:10:27","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/blog.equalityanddiversity.co.uk\/?p=1001"},"modified":"2025-10-16T15:10:27","modified_gmt":"2025-10-16T15:10:27","slug":"understanding-woke-what-it-means-and-why-it-matters","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/blog.equalityanddiversity.co.uk\/index.php\/2025\/10\/16\/understanding-woke-what-it-means-and-why-it-matters\/","title":{"rendered":"Understanding \u201cWoke\u201d \u2013 What It Means and Why It Matters"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<p><strong>What this guide is about<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>This guide explains where the word <strong><em><u>woke<\/u><\/em><\/strong> comes from, what it means, how people use it today, and why the way we use it can help or hurt others.<br>It helps everyone young people, adults, employers, employees, and community members understand what they can do to make sure language is used fairly and kindly.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>1. What does \u201cwoke\u201d mean?<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>The word <em>woke<\/em> comes from African American English in the United States.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>It started from the word <em>awake<\/em>, meaning being alert or aware.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>In this context, <em>woke<\/em> means being aware of unfairness, discrimination, or injustice in society.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>It means noticing how people are treated because of their race, gender, disability, class, or identity.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Example:<\/strong><br>Someone who is <em>woke<\/em> sees that racism or sexism exist, and wants to do something about it.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>2. Where did the word come from?<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>The word was used by Black communities in the early 1900s in the United States.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>A singer called Lead Belly used it in 1938 when he said, \u201cstay woke,\u201d meaning \u201cstay alert\u201d in a dangerous, unfair world.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>It became popular again in the 1960s and 1970s when people were fighting for civil rights.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>In the 2000s, artists and activists began using <em>woke<\/em> again to talk about being aware of injustice.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Around 2014, <em>woke<\/em> became linked to the <em>Black Lives Matter<\/em> movement.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>By 2017, dictionaries described <em>woke<\/em> as \u201cbeing alert to social and racial injustice.\u201d<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>3. How people used to use the word<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>In the beginning, <em>woke<\/em> was about being proud, aware, and ready to take action for fairness.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>It was positive &#8211; it meant you cared about justice.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Black communities used it to talk about staying aware of racism and oppression.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>4. How people use it now<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Over time, the meaning has changed.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Some people still use <em>woke<\/em> to mean being aware and fair.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>But others use it as an insult or joke.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Some newspapers and politicians use \u201cwoke\u201d to criticise people who talk about fairness or inclusion.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>People may say \u201ctoo woke\u201d to make fun of those who care about equality.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Because of this, the word has lost some of its original power and truth.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>5. How \u201cwoke\u201d is used in Britain<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>The word started in America but is now used across the UK.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Many British people hear the word <em>woke<\/em> in news, workplaces, schools, and politics.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Some people use it negatively to attack equality or diversity work.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>A survey showed that 73% of people who use the word <em>woke<\/em> in the UK use it negatively.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Only 11% use it as a good or positive word.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>This shows how the word has become harmful and misunderstood.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>6. Why this matters for Equality, Diversity and Inclusion (EDI)<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>When people use <em>woke<\/em> as an insult, it causes harm.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>It can lead to:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Less open discussion about race, gender, disability, and fairness.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Fear among employers and leaders to talk about inequality.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Organisations avoiding real inclusion work because they don\u2019t want to be called <em>too woke<\/em>.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Less progress in making workplaces and communities fair.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Example:<br><\/strong>Some UK companies stopped using words like \u201cdiversity\u201d or \u201canti-racism\u201d publicly because of fear of backlash.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>This makes it harder to create fair workplaces where everyone feels valued.<strong><br><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>7. How the word \u201cwoke\u201d is misused<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Here are some ways people misuse <em>woke<\/em>:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>a. Making fun of people<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Some call others \u201cwoke\u201d to laugh at or silence them.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>This can stop real conversations about fairness.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>b. Using it as a lazy insult<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>The word is sometimes used to attack anyone who supports fairness or human rights.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>c. Businesses pretending<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Some companies talk about equality or inclusion without real action this is called \u201cwoke-washing\u201d.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>They use the language of fairness for profit, not real change.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>d. Stopping real discussion<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>When someone says, \u201cThat\u2019s just woke,\u201d they may avoid listening or learning about the problem.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>8. What we can do: Checklist for Change: <\/strong>Everyone &#8211; leaders, workers, teachers, and young people can make a difference.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Use clear words: <\/strong>Say exactly what you mean (for example, talk about \u201cfair pay\u201d or \u201cequal access\u201d instead of using vague slogans).<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Explain your terms: <\/strong>If you use words like <em>diversity<\/em>, <em>bias<\/em>, or <em>justice<\/em>, explain what they mean in simple terms.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Use real examples and evidence: <\/strong>Show data, stories, and facts instead of just repeating phrases.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Be ready to teach and learn: <\/strong>When people disagree or question you, take time to explain instead of walking away.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Focus on action, not appearance: <\/strong>Change should be about real inclusion,\u00a0not just saying the right things online.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Let everyone speak safely: <\/strong>People should be able to ask questions and share their views respectfully.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Listen to those most affected: <\/strong>Include people with lived experience of racism, ableism, sexism, or poverty\u00a0in decisions and planning.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Be honest: <\/strong>Share both what is working and what still needs to improve.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Keep the focus on fairness: <\/strong>Don\u2019t get stuck on labels like \u201cwoke\u201d or \u201canti-woke.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Keep talking about equality, justice, and respect.<strong><br><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>9. Why language matters<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Words have power.<br><\/strong>They can bring people together or push them apart.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The word <em>woke<\/em> once helped people stay aware and united against injustice.<br>Now, it can be used to silence or divide.<br>We need to be careful and thoughtful with our words.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>When someone uses <em>woke<\/em> to attack, we can respond with:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>Facts<\/strong> (what\u2019s really happening),<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Kindness<\/strong>,<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Clarity<\/strong>,<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Courage.<\/strong><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p>Our goal is not to be \u201cwoke.\u201d<br>Our goal is to build fairness, dignity, and respect for everyone.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>10. In short<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><em>Woke<\/em> means being aware of unfairness.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>It came from Black culture and history.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Some people now use it wrongly or cruelly.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>We can all choose to use fair and respectful language.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Equality work is not about being <em>woke<\/em> &#8211; it\u2019s about justice and respect for all.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Links and References<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<ol start=\"1\" class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Merriam-Webster Dictionary \u2013 definition of <em>woke<\/em><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Oxford English Dictionary \u2013 \u201calert to racial or social discrimination and injustice\u201d<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Lead Belly, <em>Scottsboro Boys<\/em> (1938)<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>William Melvin Kelley, <em>If You\u2019re Woke You Dig It<\/em> (1962)<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Black Lives Matter movement (from 2014)<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>The Independent\u00a0 \u201cHow Britain Uses \u2018Woke\u2019\u201d<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>People Management UK \u201cIs \u2018Woke\u2019 Destroying Diversity Work?\u201d<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>The Guardian\u00a0 NHS diversity and backlash<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>The Grocer senior HR leaders\u2019 survey on anti-woke culture<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Forbes\u00a0 \u201cWoke Capitalism and Corporate Activism\u201d<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>YouGov Survey (2022):<\/strong> Found that 73% of people in the UK use the word <em>woke<\/em> negatively and 11% use it positively.<br><a href=\"https:\/\/yougov.co.uk\/politics\/articles\/43645-most-britons-now-know-what-woke\">https:\/\/yougov.co.uk\/politics\/articles\/43645-most-britons-now-know-what-woke<\/a> <\/li>\n<\/ol>\n\n\n\n<p><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>What this guide is about This guide explains where the word woke comes from, what it means, how people use it today, and why the way we use it can help or hurt others.It helps everyone young people, adults, employers, employees, and community members understand what they can do to make sure language is used [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_uag_custom_page_level_css":"","site-sidebar-layout":"default","site-content-layout":"","ast-site-content-layout":"default","site-content-style":"default","site-sidebar-style":"default","ast-global-header-display":"","ast-banner-title-visibility":"","ast-main-header-display":"","ast-hfb-above-header-display":"","ast-hfb-below-header-display":"","ast-hfb-mobile-header-display":"","site-post-title":"","ast-breadcrumbs-content":"","ast-featured-img":"","footer-sml-layout":"","ast-disable-related-posts":"","theme-transparent-header-meta":"","adv-header-id-meta":"","stick-header-meta":"","header-above-stick-meta":"","header-main-stick-meta":"","header-below-stick-meta":"","astra-migrate-meta-layouts":"default","ast-page-background-enabled":"default","ast-page-background-meta":{"desktop":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-4)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center 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and why the way we use it can help or hurt others.It helps everyone young people, adults, employers, employees, and community members understand what they can do to make sure language is 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