Womxn / Womyn

Womxn and womyn are alternative political spellings of the word "women" used by some feminists to avoid the "man"/"men" ending and to reject defining women by reference to a male norm. Womyn was popularized by feminist communities in the 1970s, though it later became associated with trans-exclusionary spaces. Womxn emerged more recently and is often described as an intersectional term meant to include trans women, nonbinary people, and women of color who have felt excluded from mainstream feminism. The Oxford English Dictionary added womxn in 2021, defining it as a more inclusive alternative to womyn. Both spellings are contested. Some people find them empowering, while others, including some trans advocates, argue that separating trans women out with a special spelling can itself feel exclusionary.