WOMEN'S RIGHTS ACTIVIST TAKES SHOT AT OXFORD UNIVERSITY PRESS

"This sexist dictionary must change," demands a petition started by a women’s rights activist, notes Grumpy Editor.

London-based Maria Beatrice Giovanardi is referring to Oxford University Press (OUP).

 

According to the petition, posted on Change.org, the venerable publisher that produces the Oxford English Dictionary (OED), offers a series of synonyms for woman, including "bitch, besom, piece, bit, mare, baggage, wench, petticoat, frail, bird, bint, biddy, filly."

 

While the Oxford English Dictionary does not feature these definitions, they do appear in other reference books produced by the publisher, as well as online dictionary Lexico, which takes its content from OUP dictionaries.

The petition asks Oxford University Press to:

1.  Eliminate all phrases and definitions that discriminate against and patronize women and/or connote men’s ownership of women.
2. Enlarge the dictionary's entry for “woman.”
3. Include examples representative of minorities, for example, a transgender woman, a lesbian woman, etc.

The petition refers to the online abuse targeted at women and says language usage must change in order to tackle this problem, stating, "We can take a serious step towards reducing the harm this is causing our young women and girls by looking at our language -- and this starts with the dictionary." It adds: "This is completely unacceptable by a reputable source like the Oxford University Press, but it's even more worrying when you consider how much influence they have in setting norms around our language.” 

 

 

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