Lxdies and Gxntlemxn, I have an annxxncement to make.
Or, rather, TEDxLondon does.
In case you’re unfamiliar with the group, here’s a description from the website:
TED is a nonprofit organization devoted to Ideas Worth Spreading. Started as a four-day conference in California 30 years ago, TED has grown to support its mission with multiple initiatives. The two annual TED Conferences invite the world’s leading thinkers and doers to speak for 18 minutes or less. Many of these talks are then made available, free, at TED.com.
And:
In the spirit of ideas worth spreading, TEDx is a program of local, self-organized events that bring people together to share a TED-like experience. At a TEDx event, TED Talks video and live speakers combine to spark deep discussion and connection. These local, self-organized events are branded TEDx, where x = independently organized TED event.
In a tweet last Friday, the organization dropped news that TedXLondonWomen will be coming back virtually. In doing so, it chose a novel touch — the word “womxn”:
“HELLO YOU! TEDxLondonWomxn is coming back (virtually)! And we’d love you to share your ideas to help us to build our programme of events for this Autumn…”
HELLO YOU!
TEDxLondonWomxn is coming back (virtually)! 💥
And we’d love you to share your ideas to help us to build our programme of events for this Autumn…
Please share your thoughts in our 5 min quiz https://t.co/lOt7CXXC7x
THANK YOU!
❌ #TEDxLondon #TEDxLondonWomxn pic.twitter.com/6yeIOco3KD— TEDxLondon (@tedxlondon) September 4, 2020
Some commenters pointed out the error, which prompted clarification:
“Why we’re using ‘womxn’: No, that’s not a typo: ‘womxn’ is a spelling of ‘women’ that’s more inclusive and progressive. The term sheds light on the prejudice, discrimination, and institutional barriers womxn have faced, and explicitly includes non-cisgender women.”
Why we’re using ‘womxn’
No, that’s not a typo: ‘womxn’ is a spelling of ‘women’ that’s more inclusive and progressive. The term sheds light on the prejudice, discrimination, and institutional barriers womxn have faced, and explicitly includes non-cisgender women.
— TEDxLondon (@tedxlondon) September 5, 2020
In terms of a brand new spelling, the word’s an evolutionary solution: For many years, men presenting as women were called transvestites. Then in swooped the concept of gender “identity” — as in man-identifying-as-woman — and then “gender identity” transformed into simply “gender” as transvestite became “transgender woman.” Yet, “transgender woman” remains something different than mere “woman.”
How does one become wholly like the other? Group ’em together, and call it a day: womxn.
Vxxlà.
However, evidently, some people are quite attached to the letters “e” and “a”:
I will continue to spell it WOMEN & I’m not a non-cisgender woman. Just a woman. The day you can change chromosomes inside our DNA, I’ll junk about it. As for the late arrival in womanhood of the opposite gender: Welcome! If they feel women they they need to accept the spelling.
— Lanah (@LanahD33) September 8, 2020
I’ve never faced any prejudice, discrimination, and institutional barriers for being a woman. I got bad grades at school for being a terrible speller though, so I should complain about that now words can’t be spelt however you want.
— qprvks (@TheRealVickyTea) September 8, 2020
Imagine insisting that it’s somehow inclusive to make up with an entirely separate word for a group of people that has fought for decades to simply be recognized and treated with the same respect and dignity as the gender they’re transitioning into. Unbelievable tone-deafness.
— ForestSprite (@chirpingsprite) September 8, 2020
One tweeter was a bit more coarsely curt (Lxnguage Wxrning):
Fxck off and never retxrn with your tedious, tendentious wxrdplay.
Thxnks for listening to my TEDxLondon txlk.
— Penumbra Kelly (@Richmond_Nine) September 9, 2020
The Daily Wire notes the wxrd’s been trying to break out for a whxle:
The phrase “womxn” has been floated in leftist circles for several years now. According to The New York Times, it was first proposed in 2016 when Women’s March Seattle was discussing how to address their “superdiverse” group.
“Our organizing group is superdiverse, and one of the core organizers, who is a nonbinary person, proposed that we use the word ‘womxn’ to make sure that everyone felt included,” said Elizabeth Hunter-Keller, the communications chair for what was later called Womxn’s March Seattle. “There were a lot of, for the most part, white women, who wondered why we had to use the ‘x’ and asked us about it. But when we talked to them online, most were totally understanding.”
Of course, if “woman” falls to the wayside, then so does the concept of sex recognition — identity replaces it wholly.
That’d be a big pill for society to swallow: Given sexual attraction — as opposed to gender attraction — I’m guessing most people don’t want to date a fifty-fifty-chance “womxn.” It’s preferable to know what’s under the hood.
But maybe I’m wrxng.
Either way, if you’re in London — or online — and in the mood to hear a lxdy txlk, check out TedXLondon and the woke way of the future.
But aren’t they still being sexist? I mean, what about mxn??
-ALEX
See more pieces from me:
Super: DC Comics Features AOC and Elizabeth Warren as ‘Wonder Women’ in Graphic Novel
Rochester Mob: ‘If They Don’t Give Us Our [Expletive], We’ll Shut [Expletive] Down!’
Woman Tries to Frame Ex-Boyfriend by Supergluing Her Vagina, Accidentally Goes to Prison Instead
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