‘ Oxford Dictionary of English is altering its definition of "Woman"

[Lordfrontpaw]

Saw on twitter today (could be true or not). Are they changing definition of man too?

Oxford Dictionary of English is altering its definition of "Woman" soon. Campaigners want it to "enlarge" to include transwomen. If you don't want it to change from "adult human female" them pls let them know

The Twitter account doesn’t look like it’s the actual OED. I suspect a bit of a trap ...

But happy to be corrected if anyone else is doing some digging.

If it is an accurate report, then it may well peak trans most of the population!

It's not true. Bored people sitting at home with too much time.

It hasn't happened -- yet.
It could happen.
www.cbc.ca/radio/asithappens/as-it-happens-wednesday-edition-1.5485533/why-activists-say-the-oxford-dictionary-of-english-results-for-woman-are-sexist-1.5487159?fbclid=IwAR0oS-kMgsysw-Tkw1RZXckBfaKCfctHQZvjDgap45yDKSENgPtc6fVoeW0

The core of the problem isn't the definition itself, which simply reads: "An adult human female." Rather, it's the associated synonyms and illustrative phrases.

For example, looking up synonyms for "woman" on Lexico, an online dictionary powered by Oxford, yields examples like, "chick," "bint," "popsy," and "maid."

From that link It's sexist synonyms. Not the definition.

If they changed woman to include some men, you'd still have to have a word that meant adult human female, of or denoting the class that produces eggs.

The concept of woman would still have to be defined. So it's a never ending process for a transactivist, which can never be resolved.

Glad it’s a hoax! I did remember a little while ago someone trying to get a campaign going - but as with all things twitter, two bored teenagers in their bedrooms don’t make a social movement!

I think this is going to be a time when individual goals and desires are very much subsumed by more collective issues......TRA ideology is the apotheosis of a certain individualistic/identity driven paradigm that has most likely reached its zenith.

However:

"Her petition calls on the dictionary to:

"Eliminate all phrases and definitions that discriminate against and patronise women and/or connote men's ownership of women;
Enlarge the dictionary's entry for 'woman';
Include examples representative of minorities, for example, a transgender woman, a lesbian woman, etc." "

Now that is just wrong. A transgender woman is not a woman. A lesbian woman is a woman, not a minority. I suppose "minorities" also include "black women"?
There is no need to include "minorities of women". Women are women, full stop.

Remember everyone, if you have a UK library card you might be able to access the OED for free. Go to this link, and enter your library card number prefixed with your county:

www.oed.com/#

Go to the Sign in button and then use the Library account box.

There is no need to include "minorities of women". Women are women, full stop

Absolutely! This very confused thinking seems to originate from the very same models of oppression that it claims to want to destroy. That is what intersectionality does....It separates and divides rather than unites. In seeking ever more refined versions of 'personal identity' - one loses sight common ground.

loses sight of common ground which in this case is sex.

It must be a hoax because it’s called the Oxford English Dictionary, not Oxford Dictionary of English. They’ve gotten the name wrong. Might have deliberately done that to avoid a defamation law suit.

There is no need to include "minorities of women". Women are women, full stop.

Unless the reference is to people who have the unifying characteristic (is that the correct phrase?) of ' woman'. So

black woman
lesbian woman
disabled woman
nun
pregnant
transman

all fit within ' woman'.

But

nurse
man
transwoman
ewe
ladybird

do not fit within 'woman'.

'Transgender woman' should fit within 'woman', because transgender in this case would be an adjective (like 'black') describing an AHF who considers herself to be a man or a-gender or whatever else under the trans umbrella. But with the trans ideology's deliberate language-muddling, it is not clear.

But with the trans ideology's deliberate language-muddling, it is not clear

For clarity: a woman is an adult human female - regardless of other defining features.

'Black' is not an adjective in this case - but the denotation of race.
Not the same as saying a "pretend woman" or a "funny woman" or a "famous woman".

Being black and female does not make you a sub-category of female.

I deliberately did not use sub-category or subset, because poters are offended by the use of 'sub' in this context.

Adjective may nothave been the right choice. 'Pretend woman' clearly does not fit within the category of woman.

But I donot understand theobjectionto including black women as part of women. Surely that is part ofintersectionality? Recognising that theses fundamental characteristics do not detract from each other

It must be a hoax because it’s called the Oxford English Dictionary, not Oxford Dictionary of English.

Ah. TRAs trying it on.

Well, if they do that, it won't be a definition any more...

Include examples representative of minorities, for example, a transgender woman, a lesbian woman, etc.

The sheer homophobia and racism of this way of thinking is shocking.

A lesbian woman is a woman; a black woman is a woman.

A transwoman is a transwoman.

But I donot understand theobjectionto including black women as part of women. Surely that is part ofintersectionality? Recognising that theses fundamental characteristics do not detract from each other

The category of 'woman' already includes all women...regardless of their other defining characteristics. Sex comes before race, religion, disability etc, as far as I'm concerned. Certainly as far as Feminism is concerned, anyway.

Maybe some identify primarily with their race or religion..... rather than with their sex...but I'd say that when it comes down to it......'woman' is the most defining characteristic.Regardless of race or religion, and so on........women are still oppressed, de-valued and curtailed on account of their sex - by others ( males) even in their own specific 'category'.

But I donot understand theobjectionto including black women as part of women. Surely that is part ofintersectionality? Recognising that theses fundamental characteristics do not detract from each other

The objection, and speaking as a black woman myself, is that it assumes and presumes that the default is white. That is you are a black woman you need to be reclassified in a subset. Which is not only insulting, it's ridiculous.

This petition has been circulating for some time and surprise, surprise has been boosted by Guardian coverage which reveals, another surprise surprise, that Women's Aid have signed the petition.
www.theguardian.com/books/2020/mar/03/fresh-call-for-oxford-dictionaries-to-change-sexist-definitions

As this was being promoted as part of IWD this year, I think making sure those responsible for compiling the dictionary are made aware that it is not acceptable to change the reality of the word woman ie a biological female.

Okay found out a bit more.

Women Make Glasgow have tweeted about changes being made mobile.twitter.com/GlasgowMake/status/1242597781384105995

On that thread someone has post a link to a statement from who may (or may not?) be the publishers of the dictionary. Not quite sure what they are saying but it shows they are aware of the petition languages.oup.com/mapping-woman-in-the-dictionary-petition/

They have an online contact form languages.oup.com/contact-us/

A counter petition. Let's keep the definition.

www.change.org/p/oxford-english-dictionary-keep-the-dictionary-definition-of-woman-to-mean-adult-human-female-a8348473-ce84-4cd0-9689-84f836073860?recruiter=11153649&utm_source=share_petition&utm_medium=facebook&utm_campaign=psf_combo_share_initial&utm_term=share_petition&recruited_by_id=ff9d4d40-1b9b-0130-6e95-3c764e049b10&utm_content=fht-21101970-en-gb%3Av12

Oh look. The petition has been removed. I wonder why...

Hate speech, apparently
Confused: confused

This unnerves me. It would be just like TRAs to use this window in time to push through the expanded-to-the-point-of-meaninglessness definition of "woman" to include males.

We need another petition to make our views known to OED.