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Anglais — Terminale

Diversity and Inclusion

Fiche anglais Terminale sur diversité et inclusion : droits civiques, féminisme, LGBTQ+, handicap et lutte contre les discriminations dans le monde anglophone.

Civil RightsFeminismAffirmative actionIntersectionalityRepresentation

Programme officiel

Axe 7 — Diversité, égalité et inclusion dans les pays anglophones : combats passés et enjeux actuels.

Cours complet

I. The Civil Rights Movement and Its Legacy

The US Civil Rights Movement (1950s-60s) fought racial segregation: Rosa Parks, Martin Luther King Jr. ("I Have a Dream", 1963), the March on Washington, the Civil Rights Act (1964). Despite legal progress, systemic racism persists: police violence (George Floyd, 2020), mass incarceration (the US has 25% of world's prisoners, disproportionately Black), the wealth gap. The Black Lives Matter movement (founded 2013) continues the fight. In the UK, the Windrush scandal (2018) and the Bristol Colston statue toppling show the ongoing reckoning with racial injustice.

II. Gender Equality and Feminism

Waves of feminism: 1st wave (suffrage — Emmeline Pankhurst), 2nd wave (1960s-70s, workplace equality), 3rd wave (1990s, intersectionality), 4th wave (digital feminism, #MeToo). Key figures: Simone de Beauvoir, Gloria Steinem, Malala Yousafzai, Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie ("We Should All Be Feminists"). Progress: gender pay gap narrowing, more women in politics. Challenges: glass ceiling, sexual harassment, reproductive rights debates (Roe v. Wade overturned 2022).

III. LGBTQ+ Rights

From criminalisation to celebration: homosexuality was illegal in the UK until 1967 and in some US states until 2003. Stonewall riots (1969) launched the modern LGBTQ+ rights movement. Same-sex marriage legalised in the UK (2014) and US (2015). Transgender rights remain contested: bathroom bills, sports participation debates, healthcare access. Pride celebrations have become mainstream but face backlash in some countries. Representation in media (RuPaul's Drag Race, "Heartstopper") has increased visibility.

IV. Intersectionality and Contemporary Challenges

Kimberlé Crenshaw coined "intersectionality" (1989): different forms of discrimination (race, gender, class, disability, sexuality) overlap and compound. A Black woman faces different challenges than a white woman or a Black man. Disability rights: the ADA (Americans with Disabilities Act, 1990) was landmark legislation, but accessibility remains inadequate. Neurodiversity movement challenges the medical model of autism and ADHD. Inclusive language evolves rapidly, reflecting changing attitudes.

Key Vocabulary

IntersectionalityThe overlapping of different forms of discrimination (race, gender, class, etc.).
Glass ceilingAn invisible barrier preventing women or minorities from reaching top positions.
Affirmative actionPolicies favouring disadvantaged groups to counteract historical discrimination.
Systemic racismRacism embedded in institutions and social structures, beyond individual prejudice.
AllyshipActive support for a marginalised group by someone outside that group.
MicroaggressionSubtle, often unintentional acts of discrimination in everyday interactions.

Méthode bac

Ce thème est riche en références culturelles à mobiliser. Connaissez les grands discours (MLK "I Have a Dream", Obama "Yes We Can"), les mouvements sociaux et leurs dates, et les textes fondateurs. Pour l'expression écrite, montrez que vous comprenez la nuance : progrès réels mais combats inachevés.

Sujets type bac

Expression écrite

"Equality has been achieved in law but not in practice." Discuss with examples.

Expression écrite

Has social media helped or hindered the fight for equality?

Exercices d'entraînement

Q1 : Is affirmative action still necessary? Discuss both perspectives.

Answer: For: systemic inequality cannot be corrected without proactive measures; historical disadvantage persists; diversity benefits everyone (varied perspectives improve decision-making). Against: it can be seen as reverse discrimination; may stigmatise beneficiaries; should be replaced by class-based rather than race-based measures. Nuanced view: affirmative action remains necessary where systemic barriers exist, but should evolve — focusing on socioeconomic disadvantage rather than solely on race.

Q2 : What is intersectionality and why is it important?

Answer: Intersectionality (Crenshaw, 1989) recognises that people face multiple, overlapping forms of discrimination. A Black disabled woman experiences prejudice differently from a white disabled woman or a Black man. It is important because single-issue approaches miss compounded disadvantage. Policies must address multiple dimensions of inequality simultaneously. Intersectionality also enriches understanding: it shows that identity is complex, not reducible to one category.

Q3 : How has the #MeToo movement changed attitudes toward sexual harassment?

Answer: #MeToo (2017, following Harvey Weinstein revelations) empowered millions to share experiences of sexual harassment and assault. Impact: powerful men held accountable (Weinstein imprisoned), workplace policies reformed, public awareness dramatically increased. Criticisms: some see it as mob justice, concern about due process, uneven impact (mainly helped privileged women). Legacy: permanently shifted the conversation, making silence around harassment less acceptable.

Q4 : "We Should All Be Feminists" — explain Adichie's argument and its relevance.

Answer: Adichie argues that feminism benefits everyone, not just women. Gender expectations harm men too (pressure to suppress emotions, to be "strong"). She redefines feminism as simply believing in the equality of the sexes. Her argument is relevant because: the gender pay gap persists, women are underrepresented in leadership, gender-based violence remains endemic. By making feminism accessible and universal, Adichie encourages people who might have rejected the label to embrace the principles.

Q5 : Compare the civil rights struggles in the US and South Africa.

Answer: Similarities: both fought legalised racial segregation (Jim Crow / Apartheid), both had iconic leaders (MLK / Mandela), both used non-violent protest (initially). Differences: Apartheid was more extreme and systematic; the US movement focused on legal equality within an existing democracy; South Africa required complete regime change. Legacies: both achieved legal equality but systemic inequality persists (wealth gaps, residential segregation). The comparison shows that legal change alone is insufficient without addressing economic and social structures.

À retenir pour le bac

  • Civil Rights — notion clé à maîtriser pour cet axe.
  • Feminism — notion clé à maîtriser pour cet axe.
  • Affirmative action — notion clé à maîtriser pour cet axe.
  • Intersectionality — notion clé à maîtriser pour cet axe.
  • Representation — notion clé à maîtriser pour cet axe.

Autres fiches d'anglais Terminale

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