The Cambridge Dictionary has changed the definitions of “man” and “woman” to also include transgender individuals in a move that is drawing criticism from prominent conservatives.
For example, the definition of “woman” still includes the old definition of “an adult female human being,” but now it also says it can mean “an adult who lives and identifies as female though they may have been said to have a different sex at birth.”
The new definition gives examples of how the word “woman” can be used in a sentence: “She was the first trans woman elected to a national office,” and “Mary is a woman who was assigned male at birth.”
“Changing the definition of woman sure sounds anti-woman to me,” said Nikki Haley, former U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations.
Changing the definition of woman sure sounds anti-woman to me. https://t.co/sIqjfbT0Bd
— Nikki Haley (@NikkiHaley) December 13, 2022
Similarly, the definition of “man” includes the old definition – “an adult male human being” – but now includes an additional definition, “an adult who lives and identifies as male though they may have been said to have a different sex at birth.”
A sample sentence reads, “Their doctor encouraged them to live as a man for a while before undergoing surgical transition.”
Cambridge Dictionary spokeswoman Sophie White said the change was made in October but only noticed by the public when The Telegraph newspaper published a story.
“They carefully studied usage patterns of the word woman and concluded that this definition is one that learners of English should be aware of to support their understanding of how the language is used,” White told The Washington Post.
Said conservative commentator Matt Walsh, who is featured in the popular documentary What Is a Woman? “The ‘what is a woman’ question has been so effective that they’re now rewriting the dictionary to try and neutralize it. It’s absurd and Orwellian, but also a sign that we’re winning the argument.”
The “what is a woman” question has been so effective that they’re now rewriting the dictionary to try and neutralize it. It’s absurd and Orwellian, but also a sign that we’re winning the argument. https://t.co/jAyZJNCBj8
— Matt Walsh (@MattWalshBlog) December 13, 2022
Photo courtesy: ©Getty Images/Devonyu
Michael Foust has covered the intersection of faith and news for 20 years. His stories have appeared in Baptist Press, Christianity Today, The Christian Post, the Leaf-Chronicle, the Toronto Star and the Knoxville News-Sentinel.
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