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Original poster

womxn?!?

25 replies

Girlonatubetrain2 · 14/02/2020 13:03

Just received an email from work
International Womxn’s Day is on 8th March. To celebrate the day, we’ll be turning a wall (or window) into a space to write down the names of the womxn who inspire us

havent seen the term womxn before but having done some reading online, it doesnt sit well with me. But i am struggling to express why.

Partially because im asian and never thought the woMAN part implies i am part of man. But also because it feels like PC going too far.

Do you agree? and if so, can you help me word something back to work that they may want to reconsider such emails?

OP posts:
MinnieMountain · 14/02/2020 13:26

"There's a typo in your email."

MrsMozartMkII · 14/02/2020 13:28

I like MinnieMountain's response.

Original poster
Girlonatubetrain2 · 14/02/2020 13:30

i like that Minniemountain but genuinely dont think that would be enough
i'd have to make a point if that makes sense?

OP posts:
slipperywhensparticus · 14/02/2020 13:30

Do that

slipperywhensparticus · 14/02/2020 13:31

Just send them an email telling them about the type

elp30 · 14/02/2020 13:31

I'm Hispanic and there's a term called, "Latinx" that drives me equally nuts.

thatwouldbeanecumenicalmatter · 14/02/2020 13:39

It's part of 'inclusive' fudging up of language that handily prevents women from defining themselves/their sex based needs etc. Funnily enough I've never seen mxn... it's never men who have to budge up

Gullible33 · 14/02/2020 13:39

Where do you work, OP?

MinnieMountain · 14/02/2020 13:40

It does OP.

I'm at a loss because it's so ridiculous and I'd end up rambling.

Try asking in Feminist Chat.

Hoik · 14/02/2020 14:55

it's never men who have to budge up

Fuck yes to this.

My understanding of the term 'womxn' is that it's supposed to be inclusive, sadly this is at the exclusion of 'women'.

Original poster
Girlonatubetrain2 · 14/02/2020 15:13

@Gullible33 i work for a small-ish privately owned start up, i think they are just keen on being 'woke' (at the cost of common sense)

OP posts:
Bezalelle · 14/02/2020 15:16

Bollxcks.

Original poster
Girlonatubetrain2 · 14/02/2020 15:20

completely agree but replying without explaining myself fails to get the point across.

It needs to be something along the lines of
I understand you are trying to be inclusive by using the term Womxn
however as a woman (& the only non white woman in this business ), i'd like to highlight that . . . . .

OP posts:
Hoik · 14/02/2020 15:22

"Womxn" contributes to the erasure if women as a distinct and separate sex. We should absolutely be inclusive however this should not at the expense of the rights and recognition of born females. International Transgender Day of Visibility is on 31st of March, we can celebrate womxn then.

Original poster
Girlonatubetrain2 · 14/02/2020 15:23

it's the CEO who sent the mail, so i'd like to reply directly to him and avoid HR which is not inhouse (i'm assuming they havent taken any guidance from HR on this)

OP posts:
FreckledLeopard · 14/02/2020 15:24

Maybe point them in the direction of the massive backlash against the Wellcome Trust's use of 'womxn' in late 2018 where they ended up backtracking: www.theguardian.com/culture/2018/oct/10/wellcome-collection-excoriated-over-term-womxn-promotional-material

pourmorewine · 14/02/2020 15:25

So is the term for men now mxn?

JillAmanda · 14/02/2020 15:28

Sorry off topic but what on Earth is the point of transgender day of visibility? I thought the point was they want to pass as the opposite sex ie blend in and be LESS visible?

PickAChew · 14/02/2020 15:32

You don't get any attention if you blend in.

ZeroFucks · 14/02/2020 15:35

I agree with @FreckledLeopard

Don't say anything. On International Woman's Day, print out and stick up A3 colour pictures of the faces of Maya Forstater, Selina Todd, Rose Freedman, Lilly Maynard etc. and lots of Adult Human Female posters.

Original poster
Girlonatubetrain2 · 14/02/2020 16:38

thank you all,

pleased to say we have a very quick resolution on it
send the ceo the guardian and bbc links to ask if he'd seen them
(planned to use the msg from @Hoik if it turned into a discussion)

received a response from CEO acknowledging my links and his lack of awareness and signing off with both an apology and the promise to be more aware next time

woo hoo!

OP posts:
ZeroFucks · 17/02/2020 15:25

That's good to read, OP, but I don't think it addresses the issue.

The CEO hasn't rectified the previous email mistake so is still able to position himself as terribly woke and inclusive to everyone else while also placating you.

Let's see what actually happens on IWD.

BuzzShitbagBobbly · 17/02/2020 15:33

Play them at their own game.

Tell them you feel othered and bullied by such discriminatory language; and how you feel like violence has been committed against you by their exclusionary email. Continue ad nauseum with what ever other woke bullshit you can think of (there's probably an online generator than can spew some more out)

psychedelephant · 17/02/2020 15:51

Well done OP. I'm forever furious that we're put in this position where this bullshit requires some sort of response and you don't know if it will be received with thanks/apology or if you'll be on the way to losing your job. I admire you for speaking up.

Original poster
Girlonatubetrain2 · 21/02/2020 14:41

I dont expect the CEO to send a rectifying email but i do expect any future msgs to clearly say woman / women

I absolutely plan to see how they market IWD
And will pull them up on it if they choose to reuse the term womxn
I suspect my point has been understood - i do trust my CEO and think it was a naive mistake

OP posts:
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