Calls to change dictionary definitions of 'sexist' and 'woman'

A coalition of feminist leaders have written an open letter calling on Oxford University Press to change its definitions of “sexist” and “woman”.

On Tuesday, leaders of Women’s Aid and the Women’s Equality Party joined forces with 12 other signatories to condemn some Oxford Dictionaries’ use of synonyms such as “bitch” and “maid” when defining the word “woman”.

Meanwhile, the letter points out that the definition for “man” includes statements such as “a person with the qualities associated with males, such as bravery, spirit, or toughness”.

The letter has been published just ahead of International Women’s Day, which takes place on Sunday 8 March, and follows a campaign launched in 2019 by Maria Beatrice Giovanardi that called for dictionaries to change the definition of “woman” to something more egalitarian.

To date, more than 32,000 people have signed Giovanardi’s online petition, which states that Oxford’s English Dictionary gives the following examples to define “woman”: “Male fisherfolk who take their catch home for the little woman to gut” and “I told you to be home when I get home, little woman”.

The letter stresses that such definitions dehumanise women. “Synonyms and examples, such as these, when offered without context, reinforce negative stereotypes about women and centre men.

“That’s dangerous because language has real world implications, it shapes perceptions and influences the way women are treated.”

The letter goes on to say how changing the dictionary definitions could have a major impact on gender equality.

“It might not end everyday sexism or the patriarchy but it’s a good start,” it states.

A spokesperson for Oxford University Press has clarified that changes to its definitions of “woman” and “sexist” are underway and that it endeavours to note when synonyms or examples are dated and/or offensive.

“We have expanded the dictionary coverage of ‘woman’ with more examples and idiomatic phrases, and have ensured that offensive synonyms or senses are clearly labelled as such and only included where we have evidence of real world usage,” they said.

“The labels ‘offensive’ and ‘dated’ have been applied to more terms for women and girls, particularly those that refer to appearance and sexual behaviour. These changes will be visible across various platforms in the next few weeks.

“Oxford University Press is a strong advocate for diversity & inclusion. As an organisation, we cannot change how people use language overnight, but we hope that initiatives such as International Women’s Day, which seek to support and empower women will eventually mean that these terms are no longer used in an offensive way – and that this can be reflected this in our dictionaries.”