Yes. That is an accurate spelling. Here is some background info why:
In most languages womyn and men, as two sexes, are identified by two very separate words. English is one of the only languages which denotes the term for womyn as a derivative of the word "man". The "wo" in women comes from the Greek or Latin meaning "lesser". "Women - woman" is by traditional definition the "wife of man", "woe of man", "female-man" or "womb-man".
Many womyn have felt empowered by merely altering the spelling of an existing word to reflect womyn's autonomy. By changing "women" to "WOMYN," we have created a distinct word for our own sex. The word is still pronounced the same, yet has the power to be much more inclusive and empowering for all womyn. Another spelling used widely is "wimmin" which removed the "wo" as it is seen to represent "womb". This spelling is used by people who don't believe that womyn should be defined by their reproductive capability. "Womon" or "womun" are used as the singular.
- Sue Moore
Why I Personally Identify as a Womyn:
1. I think that language is extremely powerful. Personally. Politically. Implicitly. Explicitly. It's how we receive messages. It's how we send messages. About our bodies, our esteem, our value, our relationship to each other and ourselves. For me, (keyword, for me. As in, I self-identify this way.) woman communicates/ has communicated something inconsistent with my body (physically and ideologically), self-understanding and self-image, personal power and world view. For me, communicating "wife of man", "woe of man", "female-man" or "womb-man" has personally, politically, implicitly and explicitly informed me and others to 1. not see me as a whole, but as a compliment (with vital flaws) 2. to not take me so so seriously. This is not to say that none of my privileges (e.g. college education) or oppressions (e.g. Black) have not influenced this. That's because privilege informs/ does not negate oppression. And oppression informs/ does not negate privilege.
2. Starting with language, therefore has a lot of personal power for me. And I also think/ have experienced that presenting alternative representations of a norm (for example, womyn) are great ways to begin the questioning process that eventually allow people to define themselves on their own terms, and not by the boundaries defined by society.
What About Other Womyn/Women? And Men?I do not hold anything against womyn who chose not to identify as womyn, but as women. I am all about self-identification, for I also believe that being defined by your own self, and not others (ideals, persons, systems) is the surest way to liberation (self, mental, spiritual, physical, the list goes on). However, I am far more critical of men who challenge this ideal. Mostly because men stand to lose something if womyn define themselves as wholes independent of entities other themselves for self-definition and function within this society. What they stand to and are afraid of losing are protected by male supremacy. Protection of male supremacy.... No. Not what this blog (nor I) is about.
Why not wimmin, womun, womon?
Honestly, not quite there yet. (There being...? I should learn more...) Not sure if I need to be. Not sure if I don't. Though I am sure that I should be more informed about these other spellings, these other meanings. Need to read up on that. Drop suggestions in the comments, if you have any.
On a last note:
Depending on the space, I am not totally upfront with this self-identification. Why? Because this information, this knowledge was only accessible to me once I reached an elite institution of higher education, and even within that space, I made friends/ was drawn to a very specific group of people. Not every woman-identified (past/present/future) person has, does or will have access to that specific group of people or even any institution of higher education. Also, because women are such a diverse group of people, not the sum of her experience, oppression, and privilege does not always equate to needing this kind of declaration. And last, it is not my role nor position to inform others how they should self-identify that is very condescending and considering the power that comes with education, elitist.
So with that in mind:
I am a womyn, well aware of the oppressions and privileges (their intersections and how they interact) that have led me to identify in this way.
Sue Moore's definition above is a complete fabrication. There is no such etymology for the word 'woman':
ReplyDeleteThe early meaning of the English word "man" (from Proto-Germanic mannaz, "person", and perhaps from proto-Indo-European reconstructed ghmon-[2]) and some words derived therefrom designated any or all human beings regardless of gender or age. In Old English the words wer and wyf (also wæpman and wifman) were used to refer to "a male" and "a female" respectively, and the word "man" was gender neutral. (This is still seen even today in certain words. For an example, there is the word "werewolf", which literally means man-wolf. In German "man" is a gender-neutral general subject, while "Mann" means man.) Later, in Middle English, "man" displaced wer as the term for male humans, whilst wyfman, which eventually evolved into "woman", was retained for female humans. Since then, the word "man" has been used to refer to male humans and to humanity as a whole (e.g., "Mankind").