Feminist’s Billboard Removed Because Dictionary Definition of ‘Woman’ Considered ‘Hate Speech’

 There is a dangerous precedent being set right now, and it all stems  from the act of being offended and the actions one takes to prevent  future ‘offenses’. Many of those complicit in the quelling of free  speech are merely useful idiots and have no idea they are participating  in one of the most effective forms of censorship humanity has ever seen. All people have to do to silence anyone with whom they disagree is to  now claim their speech offended or scared them. This speech no longer  needs to actually be hateful and, as a recent case proves, it can be a dictionary definition of a word. 

Case in point: a billboard in Liverpool that quoted the dictionary  definition of “woman” has been removed after it was deemed transphobic  hate speech. 

The poster featured only six words: “Woman, women, noun, adult human  female.” This is the definition provided in the dictionary for the word  woman yet it was deemed dangerous by a transgender activist who branded  the poster “hate speech.” Feminist Kellie-Jay Keen-Minshull, founder of the women’s rights group Standing for Women, was  behind the billboard campaign. 

Keen-Minshull is worried that women are  under attack from trans groups who seek to redefine the biological  definition of woman. So, she launched a campaign to simply inform people  of the definition. 

Whether or not you agree with Keen-Minshull’s point of view is  entirely irrelevant here. But logic appears to no longer apply when it  comes to those being offended by the speech of others and so the  dictionary definition of a word has now been cast into the endless pit  of reasons to silence others. The billboard campaign barely lasted a week before it was taken down  under pressure from Dr. Adrian Harrop, a Twitter activist and NHS  doctor, who complained that it made transgender people feel unsafe. 

“There is no place for hatred, exclusion or transphobia in  Liverpool,” Harrop said on Twitter. “This billboard was funded by a  transphobic hate group… motivated solely by transphobia and a desire to  exclude trans people from public life. To say otherwise is entirely  disingenuous.” In response to the removal of her sign, Keen-Minshull told a British  television morning show, that she fears we’re losing the word ‘woman.’  Indeed, it does appear to be under attack. 

“We might be called ‘cervix havers’ or ‘menstruaters’, in cervical  cancer campaign material the word ‘woman’ doesn’t appear…” she said. “What you and your misogynistic allies are seeking to do is to erase  what it means to be a woman, in law and in life,” she said. “And that is  why this campaign has been absolutely essential. 

“If you didn’t push women to the point that we are very, very angry  that we feel we have to protect the language around us, by using words  like ‘cervix havers’ and ‘menstruaters’, cervical cancer obliterating  the word ‘woman’, not even using it in campaign material, we wouldn’t  feel the need to assert the fact that the meaning of woman is only adult  human female.” 

Even if you do not agree with Keen-Minshull, she has every right to  do what she’s doing without being silenced. When the dictionary  definition of a word can be considered “hate speech” and is removed as a  result, the very fabric of freedom is withering away. 

Just like transgender people can use any pronouns they wish to  describe themselves, a woman can post a definition of the word woman. 

If  transgenders were facing similar attacks by transphobics—as in being  censored and silenced—rest assured that TFTP would be speaking out  against this as well. Telling people what words they can and can’t say to ‘protect’ others  is chilling and nothing short of tyrannical. 

Freedom of speech does not  come with terms and conditions as words alone, less the obvious yelling  “fire” in a movie theater, cannot cause physical harm. The act of being offended is a choice taken by those who hear certain  words. Limiting or changing language through political correctness does  nothing to stop someone from offending in another manner or being  offended. 

Political correctness is intolerance. While  it is described as tolerance and presents itself as fairness, it  restricts, controls, and censors entirely peaceful language. We would do  well not to embark down such a dark path. Remember, a government and  society crude enough to silence your critics is also big enough to one  day silence you.