Path: utzoo!news-server.csri.toronto.edu!rutgers!usc!wuarchive!uunet!ora!ambar
From: scholl@uvmark.uucp (Kathryn Scholl)
Newsgroups: soc.feminism
Subject: A question about "womyn"
Message-ID: <1991Mar01.233814.44453@uvmark.uucp>
Date: 8 Mar 91 14:07:37 GMT
Sender: ambar@ora.com (Jean Marie Diaz)
Organization: Vmark Software, Inc.
Lines: 22
Approved: ambar@ora.com

I am somewhat new to the net, and have noticed in many groups the word
"womyn" used instead of "women".  I am curious as to:

    - how long this word has been used.
    - why it is used (because "wo'men'" is considered an extension
         of "men" and they (we) want their (our) own word?).
    - who generally uses it (feminist literature, etc.), as I had
         never seen it before, and am not knowledgeable in the fem.lit.
         environment.
    - what type of response the usage of this word is getting outside
         of the circle(s) in which it is being used.
    - other "new" words of this kind, such as "her", "him", etc.

Please e-mail.  And please, no flames to the effect of "you are a
woman, you should have known this".  I am just trying to learn.

Thanks!
Kathryn

-- 
Kathryn Scholl
...uunet!merk!uvmark!scholl