support@headlinenews360.com
Last Updated:
The Scripps National Spelling Bee was under fire not long after it announced that “womyn” would be a word added to its accepted study words for third-graders training to compete in the competition.
Feminist spelling for 3rd graders draws criticism. (Photo Credits: X)
The addition of the term “womyn” as an acceptable alternate spelling for “women” in the Scripps National Spelling Bee has become quite contentious, gathering the attention and opinions of many, especially on social media. Merriam-Webster defines “womyn” as a “variant spelling of women,” and it is commonly used to claim women’s autonomy and resist patriarchal speech patterns.
The Scripps National Spelling Bee was under fire not long after it announced that “womyn” would be a word added to its accepted study words for third-graders training to compete in the competition. For critics, the inclusion of that word was indicative of a political agenda, not fidelity to the science of lexicography. A spokesperson for the spelling bee explained to Fox News Digital that the organization pulls all its words from Merriam-Webster’s Unabridged Dictionary, which accepts “womyn” as a variant.
The move has provoked an outcry primarily from conservative commentators and parents who say the move will be a very unhealthy influence on children. The Sentinel reports that Kansas state Rep. Samantha Poetter-Parshall said placing “womyn” in the dictionary equated to “crazy indoctrination” and proposed local school boards stop the words from being taught.
Reactions ran the gamut from disbelief to humorous on social media. Some were disappointed with the direction of the Scripps National Spelling Bee, while others equated it to other politically charged terms like “Latinx,” questioning if these types of inclusions were done for educational or political correctness.
You can’t make this up. Scripps National Spelling Bee Competetion says third graders can spell the word “women” as “womyn”A spelling bee pic.twitter.com/llLiYpIug7
— Libs of TikTok (@libsoftikt) December 11, 2024
This is nuts! There are people in this world who get triggered by how “Women” is spelled, so they spell it “Womyn” to remove “men”
You just can’t make this level of crazy up! ?pic.twitter.com/XtAESwh1rf
— Old School Eddie (@Old_SchoolEddie) December 14, 2024
An X post read: “I just saw Scripps National Spelling Bee is confirming the spelling of WOMYN as an alternative to WOMAN. WOMYN is called a feminist term. Our kids can barely read/write, so why confuse them more? STOP IT!!”
I just saw Scripps National Spelling Bee is confirming the spelling of WOMYN as an alternative to WOMAN. WOMYN is called a feminist term. Our kids can barely read/write, why confuse them more? STOP IT!! pic.twitter.com/YCTqkpZ2Hf— Dawn EM-Hammock (@dawn_hammo83319) December 13, 2024
For students to be eligible to compete in the national spelling bee, schools must be a part of the Scripps National Spelling Bee program. The competition’s 100th anniversary will coincide with the 2025 National Finals, which are scheduled for May of next year.
Background on ‘Womyn’
“Womyn” has been thought of by most as a variant spelling of “women,” mainly in regard to feminist-related subjects when trying to avoid the “-men” suffix. Described to have emerged during the second wave of feminism that occurred in the 1970s, the first notable usage of this term is considered to be in relation to the event known as the Michigan Womyn’s Music Festival.
Alternative spellings such as “womxn” began more recently to be more inclusionary for transgender and non-binary people. According to the Oxford English Dictionary, “womxn” is an alternative spelling for some that avoids the sexism of traditional forms.
