I objected to a ‘feminist publishing style guide’ at my workplace

I’m a feminist and understand the political risks and impact on women of removing the word – woman – we use to refer to female people. Working in publishing, I see words and their meanings as intensely political.

I objected to a ‘feminist publishing style guide’ at my workplace which used gender identities thinking suggesting using terms including ‘people who menstruate’ and ‘womxn’ – in an organisation that has used the international feminist understanding of biological sex and gender as a social construct to advance women’s rights, funding progressive work over decades including my project.

I am currently watching a situation unfold with the result that my project will be closed down. I suspect my views on gender are part of the factors in that proposed closure, but have no evidence as yet that this is the case.

M, feminist working in publishing