Jun 20, 2019
Today we are here to talk about ‘x’s, and not the ones that you have blocked on social media. On HER, online, and in LGBTQ+ spaces, more people are identifying with the word womxn. Why you ask? As society is becoming more intersectional, people are finding ways to reclaim titles to show that not all definitions are as simple as we’ve made them in the past.
Dating back to the early lesbian communes all the way to the more fluid present, there have been multiple spellings of the word women: wimmin, womyn, womin and more recently, womxn. Most use cases of words in English and other languages are rooted in masculinity. Female lion is a lioness, female actor is an actress, etc. There was even a time where the use case of a female poet was poetess (can you believe?). But one thing is certain, womxn’s identities, especially trans womxn and womxn of color’s voices have been diminished in more ways than one. It’s our time to reclaim the title.
The spelling of womxn is a more intersectional, progressive, and inclusive way to recognize that womxn are not an extension of men. The use of the ‘x’ in womxn can be compared to the use of Latinx, which is a gender neutral/non-binary alternative to Latino and Latina. Womxn is an opportunity to define ourselves outside the context of men, and to embrace womxnhood in full force. Whether you are a trans womxn, womxn of color, or any other self distinguishing womxn, there is no one way to be a womxn.
Womxn own our voices
Womxn are powerful individuals
Womxn are here to lead the change
We at HER will continue to celebrate womxn and embrace all that you are, unapologetically and authentically.
