Posted on March 3, 2020 at 3:30 PM by Sadye Scott-Hainchek

Oxford University Press has received an open letter, signed by a number of academics and equality advocates, asking for revisions to its iconic dictionary’s entry for “woman.”

The letter points out that while the definition for “man” is markedly positive, including the phrase “a person with the qualities associated with males, such as bravery, spirit, or toughness,” the entry for “woman” identifies a number of extremely negative words as synonyms.

A spokeswoman told the Guardian that the Oxford University Press had reviewed the entries for woman and girl and would implement various changes — such as identifying certain terms as outdated or offensive — in the next few weeks.

You can read the letter in its entirety in the Guardian.

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Tagged As: Language, The Guardian