bigfatmatt01 t1_iu4bgql wrote on October 28, 2022 at 1:31 PM

Did you spell women as womxn on purpose in the title? As someone who enjoys etymology this bothers me. X is not a vowel.

_Maggie_Dickens_ OP t1_iu4vlqo wrote on October 28, 2022 at 3:51 PM

I definitely understand how the use of x doesn't fit the English language and frankly that is the point. The word isn't perfect and isn't as inclusive as we'd like it to be (thinking of non-binary persons here) and as you can see in the NYT article I'm linking, there isn't 100% support for the word in the feminist community either. Much like everything, there are poles to each continuum.

I will note the use of the x not new and has been used as early as the 1970s (that we are aware of at this point). The original goal here is to take the role of MAN out of our lives and this issue is central to the childfree community.

Many of the pressures to reproduce (in addition to those who do feel that biologically--which isn't universal), the patriarchal society has set up a road map for young girls to become mothers with very little deviation. This includes teaching girls caregiving skills as children (dolls, easy bake ovens, fake cleaning supplies) and often asked about marriage and kids plans long before the have a fully formed frontal lobe.

I can appreciate how it is different, heck I don't use it all the time because I was raised for 30+ years to use an A. It's a process for progress.

Here are some resources for you to better understand the use and purpose of the word even it if isn't pronounceable with the x (although you do just use the A pronunciation).

Time line of the use X
NYT

bigfatmatt01 t1_iu5cppz wrote on October 28, 2022 at 5:45 PM

I completely understand the reason for feminists not liking to use woman (although a bit childish imo) but I don't understand why you don't just create a whole new word. Spelling it womxn and then pronouncing it woman is just dumb. Spelling of a word itself holds no meaning other than to represent the sound of the spoken word. If you still pronounce the word as woman it's still the same word, just misspelled. I'm not some anti-feminist btw I just think there are more important fights to fight for the movement.

_Maggie_Dickens_ OP t1_iu5payi wrote on October 28, 2022 at 7:10 PM

You are correct there are much larger fights inside the movement. And I am sure there are some that are working on alternative language. I am of the opinion to use the better option while the next best thing is being created. But as mentioned in the NYT article it isn't perfect by any means.

the3weekmeatball t1_iu4c0cm wrote on October 28, 2022 at 1:35 PM

Why did you go to a post like this seeking etymology?

bigfatmatt01 t1_iu4csag wrote on October 28, 2022 at 1:41 PM

I didn't, it was suggested to me by reddit. I understand why it's done in feminist terms, It just bothers me as someone who believes that the written should emulate the sounds of spoken language. Womxn is unpronounceable.