Variant spelling of “women” accepted by national spelling bee

In preparation for the 100th anniversary competition, the Scripps National Spelling Bee is accepting “womyn” as an alternative spelling of the word, according to a published study guide. Preliminary rounds were broadcast on Tuesday. Quarter and semifinals followed on Wednesday. Finals are scheduled for Thursday. The competition began with 243 participants, according to Scripps.

Scripps’ policy is to accept any correct spelling listed in the official source, the Merriam-Webster Dictionary, that isn’t identified as archaic or obsolete, Fox News Digital reported, citing a Scripps National Spelling Bee spokesperson.

The Merriam-Webster Dictionary site clarified that "womyn" is not a new word, but rather a variant spelling used in the context of feminism. As an example, it referenced the term's usage in the feminist Michigan Womyn's Music Festival, which dates back to 1976.

The spelling of "womyn" began in the 1970's as a feminist expression, avoiding the ending of "men" in the word "women," according to the Oxford English Dictionary’s website. The dictionary adds that between 1970 and 2010, people used the spelling of "womyn" 0.02 times per million words in modern written English.

Why are some groups in favor of the variant spelling? Some groups like Women's+ Health Collective insisted that the respelling of this word neurologically assists people to shun what they described as a stereotypical, historical dependence on men. The organization said it included a plus sign in its title in order to encourage any variation of spelling of the term "women." Their site mentions other spellings of the word, including “wimmin,” “wombyn,” and “womxn.” To date, the Scripps National Spelling Bee has not accepted these variations.

What do critics have to say? Former University of Kentucky NCAA swim team member Riley Gaines criticized Scripps’ decision to accept the alternate spelling in a December appearance on Fox News. She suggested it was an attempt to indoctrinate children with gender ideology.

Dig deeper: Read Erin Hawley’s column for WORLD Opinions explaining how society needs to take Title IX seriously.