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To think that the Cambridge Dictionary doesn’t know what a woman is?

274 replies

HoofWankingSpangleCunt · 14/12/2022 07:46

Cambridge Dictionary changes definition of woman

www.thetimes.co.uk/article/d0d69d58-7b0c-11ed-bcd8-855e06175970?shareToken=145378cb575d0ff12d97278f7355f1c8

This has fucked me right off this morning.

OP posts:
minimarshmallowsmore · 14/12/2022 10:29

ReneBumsWombats · 14/12/2022 10:25

Would that mean there is no longer any word in the English language to refer to female humans?

Yes, that's the idea.

It's Newspeak in action. Goes along with thoughtcrime.

That is one of the definitions of 'woman' provided in the dictionary.

helpmenamemybaby · 14/12/2022 10:30

minimarshmallowsmore · 14/12/2022 10:28

"some people do" that's all that was needed here. It doesn't matter what opinion you have of those people.

I disagree.

If the dictionary is going to redefine words on the basis of how they are used, it should stick with how the majority are actually using these words, not how a fringe group of nut jobs political activists are using them, and demanding that others use them.

helpmenamemybaby · 14/12/2022 10:31

minimarshmallowsmore · 14/12/2022 10:29

That is one of the definitions of 'woman' provided in the dictionary.

Do you think it makes sense to have two definitions of the same word which are in direct conflict with each other?

ReneBumsWombats · 14/12/2022 10:31

minimarshmallowsmore · 14/12/2022 10:29

That is one of the definitions of 'woman' provided in the dictionary.

The new "definition" takes all meaning out of the real one. If a male can be a woman, a woman isn't an adult human female. It's anyone who wants to be one. It's meaningless.

What's wrong with the word "transwoman"?

TheKeatingFive · 14/12/2022 10:32

people who have transitioned are often referred to as the sex they have transitioned to

That's an inaccurate and highly problematic use of language, which is being exploited.

You can't change sex. Sex specific spaces should therefore be unaffected, regardless of whether the individual is transgender

TheKeatingFive · 14/12/2022 10:33

Always worth busting this out so we can see how Orwellian this situation is

The Party told you to reject the evidence of your eyes and ears. It was their final, most essential command.

workistoomuch · 14/12/2022 10:37

WifeMotherWorker · 14/12/2022 09:15

Unfuckingbelievable!!!
This is taken from FEMALE in the Cambridge dictionary-
used in technical or scientific writing to refer to a woman or girl:
The study participants included 350 males and 250 females.
Note:
Except in scientific writing, most people find this usage of female offensive.

Offensive to use the world female. The world has actually gone bat shit mental!! No such caveats against the word male in the same dictionary.
We are sleep walking into a male dominated dystopian world where men have access all areas to girls and women. It’s frightening.

They don't mention that male can be offensive on the male page. I'm so angry.

helpmenamemybaby · 14/12/2022 10:40

ReneBumsWombats · 14/12/2022 10:31

The new "definition" takes all meaning out of the real one. If a male can be a woman, a woman isn't an adult human female. It's anyone who wants to be one. It's meaningless.

What's wrong with the word "transwoman"?

This.

It makes the definition of the word "woman" essentially, "anyone who says they are a woman, even though they don't all agree about what one is".

I mean, what is the point of that word, who is it describing, what features do this group have in common, and why do they need their own toilets or sporting categories?

ReneBumsWombats · 14/12/2022 10:40

Yup.They are literally removing the words we need to define a female born person. Words need to be exclusive or they're meaningless. A cat is not a guitar. A cow is not a house. A man is not a woman.A cat is not a feline quadruped if it can also be a canine or bovine or equine quadruped. It's absurd.What's wrong with the word "transwoman"?

TheKeatingFive · 14/12/2022 10:40

They don't mention that male can be offensive on the male page. I'm so angry.

The misogyny is so blatant I can't even

akkakk · 14/12/2022 10:41

minimarshmallowsmore · 14/12/2022 10:17

TLDR but I can see this is all just your opinions on the fact that this phenomenon exists. Whether for a minority or not and however angry you are about it, people who have transitioned are often referred to as the sex they have transitioned to, therefore it is a thing and it's in the dictionary.

Not sure it is terribly polite to not bother reading a post but to still comment on it and judge it 😉

And I can assure you that I have no anger at all... nor is it my opinions, to reflect fact is just that - fact is fact, biology is biology, neither my views nor anyone else's can change immutable fact.

language is important - the current misuse of language is a part of the confusion causing so many issues amongst teenagers and others. Words such as transitioned are problematic because of course biologically no-one can actually transition as that suggests complete change from one to the other which we all know is not physically possible.

And yes, people do use the wrong words, calling a transwoman a woman for example - but it is inaccurate and needs to be corrected. A dictionary reflects the accurate definition of a word and it is not accurate to ever call someone born biologically male a woman.

All this does is remove credibility from the dictionary.

Whatsnewpussyhat · 14/12/2022 11:23

More and more women are waking up to the fact that male fantasy is being placed over and above female reality. To the point we can't even describe ourselves as separate sex class to men.

Woman - adult human female.

A woman is NOT

A particular type of clothes, hairstyles, makeup up, a performance of femininity, or any of the other sexist stereotypes gender identity ideology depends on.

a male who thinks 'woman' is some inner magic feminine essence or special lady feelings that they can have too.

A male with a religious belief in gender ideology. Claiming to have an inner gender identity is a faith/feelings based belief system that is meaningless to everyone else.

A male with a sexual paraphilia.

A male with a mental health issue called dysphoria.

KateBain · 14/12/2022 11:30

If you heard someone talking about woman and wanted to know what they meant as you'd never heard it before then I think it helps to know that some people might be talking about someone who identifies as female. Even if you disagree with the concept

No. If they are talking about someone who identifies as a female they can say "trans woman"

UndertheStares · 14/12/2022 11:32

minimarshmallowsmore · 14/12/2022 10:17

TLDR but I can see this is all just your opinions on the fact that this phenomenon exists. Whether for a minority or not and however angry you are about it, people who have transitioned are often referred to as the sex they have transitioned to, therefore it is a thing and it's in the dictionary.

Jesus. @akkakk made some incredibly thoughtful and intelligent points, and you reply ‘TLDR’.

This is clearly an issue which matters to thousands and thousands of women, because however much TRAs want to preach that it has no effect on us, it does - our safety and security in every single-sex space has in one move been destroyed in Scotland. On a website mainly visited by women, on the biggest issue women and girls are facing in the western world, please do bother to read the posts.

You might not agree with them, but at least you have a chance to understand why we feel dictionary definitions matter (and fyi their appearance in any dictionary very much is a choice, not simply a cold
objective fact).

panko · 14/12/2022 11:37

KateBain · 14/12/2022 11:30

If you heard someone talking about woman and wanted to know what they meant as you'd never heard it before then I think it helps to know that some people might be talking about someone who identifies as female. Even if you disagree with the concept

No. If they are talking about someone who identifies as a female they can say "trans woman"

They could or they might use woman. And cause confusion.

minimarshmallowsmore · 14/12/2022 11:50

UndertheStares · 14/12/2022 11:32

Jesus. @akkakk made some incredibly thoughtful and intelligent points, and you reply ‘TLDR’.

This is clearly an issue which matters to thousands and thousands of women, because however much TRAs want to preach that it has no effect on us, it does - our safety and security in every single-sex space has in one move been destroyed in Scotland. On a website mainly visited by women, on the biggest issue women and girls are facing in the western world, please do bother to read the posts.

You might not agree with them, but at least you have a chance to understand why we feel dictionary definitions matter (and fyi their appearance in any dictionary very much is a choice, not simply a cold
objective fact).

I skim read it and they weren't relevant points. When a person has been through transition people who know them generally refer to them as a 'woman' or 'man', whatever they have transitioned to. Generally. That's why it's in the dictionary. If someone feels it's wrong that someone would refer to them in that way that isn't relevant to the dictionary thing.

babyjellyfish · 14/12/2022 11:52

minimarshmallowsmore · 14/12/2022 11:50

I skim read it and they weren't relevant points. When a person has been through transition people who know them generally refer to them as a 'woman' or 'man', whatever they have transitioned to. Generally. That's why it's in the dictionary. If someone feels it's wrong that someone would refer to them in that way that isn't relevant to the dictionary thing.

To be polite. Not because they actually believe it.

That doesn't change the reality of what a woman actually is.

ReneBumsWombats · 14/12/2022 11:53

minimarshmallowsmore · 14/12/2022 11:50

I skim read it and they weren't relevant points. When a person has been through transition people who know them generally refer to them as a 'woman' or 'man', whatever they have transitioned to. Generally. That's why it's in the dictionary. If someone feels it's wrong that someone would refer to them in that way that isn't relevant to the dictionary thing.

So you didn't read it, but you knew what it said, and you also did read it.

No wonder you have no trouble swallowing total absurdity.

FourTeaFallOut · 14/12/2022 11:56

Definition 1: a thing.
Definition 2: not that thing, the opposite of that thing actually, actually to say definition 1 is hurtful, how about we rearrange definition 1 completely? This is normal. Close your eyes and be good.

jellybe · 14/12/2022 11:59

Have they also updated what man means?

Thedogscollar · 14/12/2022 12:00

onceina · 14/12/2022 09:18

I don't get how you can be 'assigned' a sex at birth? Surely sex is observed?

I thought exactly this. As a midwife I class sex as baby has either female or male genitalia. A system as old as time itself.
It's all becoming quite depressing and feeding into the confusion for young impressionable adolescents.

SamphiretheTervosaurReturneth · 14/12/2022 12:00

I skim read it and they weren't relevant points.

My how dismissive.

Then again, when you have a need to believe in the impossible I suppose that "fingers in ears, eyes closed shouting la la la la" will always be your ultimate weapon, won't it!?!

ReneBumsWombats · 14/12/2022 12:02

I want to set up a cat shelter. Some traumatised cats can't cope with dogs in their vicinity, so I want to set up a shelter for them. There are some shelters that cater for both cats and dogs and that's great, but mine is for the cats who couldn't use those places and need a cat only service. I can identify and define the cats because they are feline quadrupeds. But now I am told a canine quadruped can also be a cat if it feels like it is. So a cat isn't a feline quadruped, because a canine quadruped can also be a cat. I have no meaningful definition now, so I can't have a cat shelter because dogs can be cats. And it's based on a feeling that itself has no definition. Maybe the dog likes playing with wool or pushing things off shelves. Does that make it a cat? My cat likes playing fetch and humping my leg. Does that make her a dog?How can I set up my cat shelter when a dog can be a cat? What's a cat?

panko · 14/12/2022 12:03

ReneBumsWombats · 14/12/2022 12:02

I want to set up a cat shelter. Some traumatised cats can't cope with dogs in their vicinity, so I want to set up a shelter for them. There are some shelters that cater for both cats and dogs and that's great, but mine is for the cats who couldn't use those places and need a cat only service. I can identify and define the cats because they are feline quadrupeds. But now I am told a canine quadruped can also be a cat if it feels like it is. So a cat isn't a feline quadruped, because a canine quadruped can also be a cat. I have no meaningful definition now, so I can't have a cat shelter because dogs can be cats. And it's based on a feeling that itself has no definition. Maybe the dog likes playing with wool or pushing things off shelves. Does that make it a cat? My cat likes playing fetch and humping my leg. Does that make her a dog?How can I set up my cat shelter when a dog can be a cat? What's a cat?

Just clarify which definition of cat you are using?

ReneBumsWombats · 14/12/2022 12:03

(Why does it sometimes ignore paragraph breaks? I promise I made them. Then again, what's a paragraph break? Maybe a run on line can be a paragraph break.)