We know that “the silence breakers” of the #MeToo movement are TIME’s person of the year, and now we’ve learned that ‘feminism’ is Merriam-Webster’s word of the year.
'Feminism' was looked up 70% more in 2017 than in 2016. And it was looked up a ton in 2016.
For more on our #WordOfTheYear pick:https://t.co/DIZC3WzYCg
— Merriam-Webster (@MerriamWebster) December 12, 2017
Attention political scientists: this rise is important to politics. It is related to polarization and negative partisanship. Don't ignore it. Ask a gender and politics expert about it. https://t.co/zwAP1QAdJm
— Corrine McConnaughy (@cmMcConnaughy) December 12, 2017
AMEN.
Lets all say the word of the year out loud together in 5,4,3,2,1
FEMINISM!
Good!
Now lets keep saying it until ALL men hold themselves accountable for thier actions, words, and silence! https://t.co/Rveb7PjBja— Jerome (@PassiveConsumer) December 12, 2017
In case anyone needs a refresher: "The theory of the political, economic, and social equality of the sexes." https://t.co/9xS5oAl8iw
— Rebecca Huber (@rahuber) December 12, 2017
The word was a top lookup throughout the year, showing a 70% increase over 2016. It also saw several spikes in lookups that corresponded to various news reports and events during the year. The general rise in lookups tells us that many people are interested in this word; specific spikes give us insight into some of the reasons why.
In the last weeks of January, feminism spiked following news coverage of the Women’s March on Washington, DC (and other related marches held around the country and internationally), and follow-up discussions regarding whether the march was feminist, and what kind of feminism was represented by organizers and attendees. The word was in the air.
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If so many people looked up the word “feminism” in the dictionary, why does the dictionary definition look almost nothing like feminism in practice?
From the @WomensMarch, to #MeToo, “feminism” saw a sustained spike in lookups throughout 2017 – it’s @MerriamWebster’s #WordOfTheYear pic.twitter.com/uNNypHxR2E
— NARAL (@NARAL) December 12, 2017
So women’s rights, essentially meaning abortion without exception and increased reliance on big government programs? Got it.
.@MerriamWebster picks "feminism" as the word of the year https://t.co/ltmdtLTDfh pic.twitter.com/28GBetGYmh
— Hollywood Reporter (@THR) December 12, 2017
Today’s definitions of feminism read: “the theory of the political, economic, and social equality of the sexes” and “organized activity on behalf of women's rights and interests.” https://t.co/kJGW5oZPsP
— Aline Flor (@rebecaflor) December 12, 2017
So if feminism is about equality of the sexes, why the ridiculous misandry from feminists like Lauren Duca?
It's fine if we get to the point where there are no men on TV. It's fine if we get to the point where there are no men in the White House.
— Lauren Duca (@laurenduca) November 30, 2017
And why the calls for publications to hire only women, queers, and/or people of color? Why the movements to silence men on social media and allow them only to retweet women? Maybe that’s under “intersectional feminism,” certainly next year’s word of the year.
Also making the list was “dotard,” a slight used against President Trump by North Korea’s Kim Jong Un and adopted by The Resistance.
You have to congratulate Kim Jong-un for reviving the word "dotard" all on his own. Not bad for a tubby little guy in North Korea. I think the last person to use it seriously in English was probably Tolkien. https://t.co/O31vmEswsp
— Prince-Bishop???????Tactical Aardvark #FBPE (@MilitantlyA) December 12, 2017
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