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Y’all . . . the word ‘female’ makes me G R O A N.
(Outside a conversation about biology, at least. I mean, that Radiolab podcast where I learned birds don’t have penises was fascinating).
The definition of the word ‘female’ is not complicated. But the way we use it sure as hell is.
“Female” has always been a biological term. It’s proto-indoeuropean root literally translates as “she who suckles.” Today, the Cambridge lists it as “the sex of an organism who can bear young or produce eggs.”
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By 1660, the word is already in use to describe the “receiving” end of mechanical components, parts & coupling. The connection is called “mating.”
Puts the term “female CEO” and “female [insert any noun that denotes a human] in a whole different light, right? I find it utterly bizarre to refer to the (potential) reproductive system and/or genitalia of the head of a company – Or anyone.
It’s fucking W E I R D.
“Female Entrepreneur” or “Female President” should sound as outlandish as “Woman Manatee.” And not just because ‘woman’ isn’t technically, grammatically an adjective. It’s because you’d be saying “egg-producing entrepreneur.”
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I don’t know exactly how I feel about ‘woman’ as an adjective yet. But it doesn’t make me cringe like ‘female’ does. Personally, I’d just like to see headlines go more like this:
❌ Bose names its first female CEO ❌
✔️ Bose picks new CEO: former Pitney-Bowes exec, Lila Snyder ✔️
BONUS KICKER
The word FEMALE has NOTHING to do with the word MALE.
Etymologically, they are completely different words with wholly separate roots: FEMINA – MASLE
But they were so often written closely together that by the 14th century, femella “morphed” to more closely resemble the word “male.” In a sense, the word’s original form was altered – ABSORBED even – by its ‘male’ counterpart.