Cambridge Dictionary changes definitions of 'man' and 'woman'
Culture,LGBTQ Issues,Gender,Culture War,Education,Polarization
The Cambridge Dictionary has officially changed its definitions of "man" and "woman."
Previously defining the terms as a representation of biological sex , the definitions now include individuals who identify differently than the gender they were assigned at birth.
A "woman" is now defined as "an adult who lives and identifies as female though they may have been said to have a different sex at birth."
A "man" is now defined as "an adult who lives and identifies as male though they may have been said to have a different sex at birth."
The new definitions are representative of how people use language, according to a report.
"They carefully studied usage patterns of the word woman and concluded that this definition is one that learners of English should be aware of to support their understanding of how the language is used," Sophie White, a spokeswoman with Cambridge University Press and Assessment, said.
The decision to change the definitions has been met with sharp backlash on social media.
