2 ms·

I think you may be misunderstanding what's happening. The goal is not to change the meaning of words, it is to explore greater nuance in order to expand the ide

I think you may be misunderstanding what's happening. The goal is not to change the meaning of words, it is to explore greater nuance in order to expand the ideas that people are able to consider. In the case of woman, the recognition is that "woman" as commonly used conflates two separate ideas: The gender that someone was assigned at birth (which in the vast majority of cases means someone's biology) and the social constructs that define "woman" (e.g. dress, role in society, acceptable behavior, etc.). Separating conflated ideas allows people to think in more detail since they can consider them separately.

narrator 2y ago
Make a brand new word then. Even if you want to add all these layers to societal interaction we can call people who want a different identity "Gender Identified Woman." Don't confuse the meaning of the existing word and pretend it's necessary. That's another tactic is conflating categories. Usually there's some sympathetic category that is a tiny amount of people, like genuine at-birth hermaphrodites, and they argue about that while at the same time pretending all that stuff applies to men who want to be housed in women's prisons. One thing that drives me nuts with this language stuff lately is how the word "Partner" came to mean romantic partner because people can't just be bothered to say "girlfriend" or "boyfriend" anymore. Now, when people introduce their "partner" in a context where it's ambiguous whether it's personal or business "partner" I have to wonder in which sense do they mean it.
- seizethegdgap 2y ago
  > Now, when people introduce their "partner" in a context where it's ambiguous whether it's personal or business "partner" I have to wonder in which sense do they mean it. You could use the power of the spoken word to ask them directly. You can ask probing questions if you’re not comfortable being that direct.
- elygre 2y ago
  Of course, the word girlfriend is already ambiguous. From Merriam-Wester: "1. a female friend 2. a frequent or regular female companion in a romantic or sexual relationship".
- kanbara 2y ago
  you'd hate the german language where der/die Freund/in can be friend or romantic partner and is extremely commonplace in the language
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narrator 2y ago

Make a brand new word then. Even if you want to add all these layers to societal interaction we can call people who want a different identity "Gender Identified Woman." Don't confuse the meaning of the existing word and pretend it's necessary. That's another tactic is conflating categories. Usually there's some sympathetic category that is a tiny amount of people, like genuine at-birth hermaphrodites, and they argue about that while at the same time pretending all that stuff applies to men who want to be housed in women's prisons. One thing that drives me nuts with this language stuff lately is how the word "Partner" came to mean romantic partner because people can't just be bothered to say "girlfriend" or "boyfriend" anymore. Now, when people introduce their "partner" in a context where it's ambiguous whether it's personal or business "partner" I have to wonder in which sense do they mean it.

seizethegdgap 2y ago
> Now, when people introduce their "partner" in a context where it's ambiguous whether it's personal or business "partner" I have to wonder in which sense do they mean it. You could use the power of the spoken word to ask them directly. You can ask probing questions if you’re not comfortable being that direct.
elygre 2y ago
Of course, the word girlfriend is already ambiguous. From Merriam-Wester: "1. a female friend 2. a frequent or regular female companion in a romantic or sexual relationship".
kanbara 2y ago
you'd hate the german language where der/die Freund/in can be friend or romantic partner and is extremely commonplace in the language

deleted 2y ago

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