National Spelling Bee includes feminist term ‘womyn’ on study list for third graders

The lists, distributed on school district websites for the current academic year, feature words for young students to practice, such as “giraffe,” “groceries,” and “neighbors.” Among these is “women,” with “womyn” cited as an acceptable alternative spelling.

“Womyn” is a term used by feminists to avoid the word “men” within “women.” Its inclusion has sparked criticism on social media, where users have accused the spelling bee of promoting politically motivated language.

In response, a spokesperson for Scripps defended the decision, explaining that all words used in the program are drawn from the Merriam-Webster Unabridged Dictionary. The dictionary lists “womyn” as an alternate spelling for “women,” according to Scripps.

"All of the words used in the Scripps National Spelling Bee program are pulled from our official dictionary, Merriam-Webster Unabridged Dictionary,” the spokesperson said in a statement to Fox News. “During competition, our policy is to accept any correct spelling listed in our official dictionary that isn’t marked archaic or obsolete. The alternate spelling ‘womyn’ is therefore included on our study list because it is listed as an alternate spelling for 'women' in Merriam-Webster.”

"In building our study lists, we aim to include alternate spellings for any words that have them listed in Merriam-Webster. The Merriam-Webster Unabridged Dictionary is the final authority and sole source for the spelling of all words offered in competition," the spokesperson added.

According to Merriam-Webster’s website, “womyn” is a variant spelling “used in some feminist contexts.”

The inclusion of “womyn” has drawn widespread mockery online, with critics accusing the spelling bee of advancing a political agenda over basic truth. Many referenced a satirical skit by The Babylon Bee from 2022, which depicted a spelling bee where contestants asked for a definition of the word “women,” only to face moderators who were unable to provide one. The skit parodied debates over gender ideology and the inability of many on the left to define “woman.”