Woke facts for kids

Then-United States Congresswoman Marcia Fudge holding a T-shirt reading "Stay Woke: Vote" in 2018

Woke is a word that started in African-American Vernacular English (AAVE). It first meant being aware of racial prejudice and discrimination. This means noticing unfair treatment or harmful ideas about people because of their race.

Around the 2010s, the word woke became popular slang. It started to mean being aware of many different social inequalities. This includes things like racial injustice, sexism (unfair treatment based on gender), and not respecting LGBT rights.

Sometimes, woke is also used to describe ideas from the American Left. These ideas often involve identity politics and social justice. Examples include understanding white privilege or the idea of reparations for slavery in the United States.

The phrase stay woke has been used in AAVE since the 1930s. It meant staying alert to social and political issues affecting African Americans. Famous singers like Lead Belly and Erykah Badu used the phrase in their music.

Woke became even more popular in the 2010s. It started to include awareness about gender and other groups seen as marginalized. Young people, like millennials and Generation Z, began using the term a lot. Because it spread so widely, woke was added to the Oxford English Dictionary in 2017.

Brands and "Woke" Marketing

By the mid-2010s, the idea of "wokeness" appeared in advertising. Companies started using language connected to social issues in their marketing. This was sometimes done to make their brands seem modern and caring.

What is "Woke-washing"?

"Woke-washing" happens when businesses use social justice ideas just to sell products. It's like they are "washing" their brand with a "woke" image. They might do this without truly supporting the causes they talk about.

Sam Sanders, a journalist, said in 2018 that the real meaning of woke was getting lost. He felt it was being overused by some people and copied by businesses. This could make people feel that the word was not genuine anymore.

Understanding "Woke Capitalism"

The term woke capitalism describes companies that use progressive messages. This means they talk about social issues like equality or fairness. However, critics say they might use these messages instead of making real changes within their company.

For example, some advertising campaigns try to appeal to young people. These younger generations often have more socially liberal views. But sometimes, customers feel these campaigns are not sincere. This can lead to a negative reaction, often called "get woke, go broke". This phrase suggests that companies trying too hard to be "woke" might lose customers.

Images for kids

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  "Master Teacher", a 2008 song by the American singer Erykah Badu (pictured in 2012), included the term stay woke.

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  "#StayWoke" hashtag on a placard during a December 2015 protest in Minneapolis

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  A 2015 protest in St. Paul by Black Lives Matter supporters against police brutality

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  Protester at a 2018 Women's March event in Missoula, Montana

See also

• Culture war
• Feminazi
• Intersectionality
• Diversity, equity, and inclusion
• Social justice warrior
• Straw feminism
• New Left
• Virtue signalling