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The Scripps National Spelling Bee in the US has stirred controversy after it included the feminist spelling of “womyn” as an acceptable alternative to “women” for its competition, according to a report in Fox News. An approved list of study words for third-grade students looking to compete in the competition showed the word women with a double asterisk next to it and the alternative spelling under it. The 2025 National Finals is expected to be held next May which coincides with the competition’s 100th anniversary but the controversy threatens to undermine the event.
According to the Oxford Dictionary, womyn is a variant of the word ‘woman’ with -myn replacing -men to avoid association with the plural of man. Reacting to the news, a Scripps spokesperson clarified that all words used in the competition were sourced from the Merriam-Webster Unabridged Dictionary.
“During the competition, our policy is to accept any correct spelling listed in our official dictionary that isn’t marked archaic or obsolete. The alternate spelling ‘womyn’ is therefore included on our study list because it is listed as an alternate spelling for ‘women’ in Merriam-Webster,” a spokesperson was quoted as saying by the outlet.
“In building our study lists, we aim to include alternate spellings for any words that have them listed in Merriam-Webster. The Merriam-Webster Unabridged Dictionary is the final authority and sole source for the spelling of all words offered in competition,” it added.
Internet reacts
The decision to include the alternative spelling did not go down well with the critics, especially the conservative section of social media.
“Hey, @ScrippsBee this is NOT acceptable. What a disappointment you have become. A non-woke organization needs to take over the spelling bee if you’re going to do this,” said one user while another added: “I guess “womyn” is a sort of feminist version of “Latinx?”
Hey, @ScrippsBee this is NOT acceptable. What a disappointment you have become. A non-woke organization needs to take over the spelling bee if you’re going to do this. #spellingbee https://t.co/lhG78ic1mi
— Jennifer (@flufffynan) December 11, 2024
A third commented: “Well, back in my days, the “womyn” spelling was used in informal campus communications. Not sure its use would have been accepted in papers, unless possibly in the Women’s Studies Department.”
Well, back in my days at @Wellesley, the “womyn” spelling was used in informal campus communications. Not sure its use would have been accepted in papers, unless possibly in the Women’s Studies Department. https://t.co/3khNtnCVpd
— Katharine Spehar (@kspehar) December 11, 2024
The move has ignited a broader conversation about language, feminism, and education, with some viewing it as a step towards inclusivity, while others see it as an unnecessary alteration of language for political motives.
