The prestigious Johns Hopkins University has removed the word “women” from a new “inclusive phrasebook” in its definition of the term “lesbian.”
The Baltimore-based university is known for its excellence in teaching and research, particularly in the field of medicine, and is recognized as one of the top medical institutions in the world.
Yet the establishment seems to be falling far short when it comes to basic terminology about the genders in the university’s LGBTQ+ glossary.
The extensive glossary is filled with definitions that aim to be inclusive and reflect an evolving understanding of gender and sexual identity.
But the current definition of “lesbian” describes it as “a non-man who is attracted to non-men.” Many feminists were especially outraged that the word “woman” was conquered – while their gay male counterparts continued to be referred to as “men.”
Johns Hopkins University has excluded the word “women” from its definition of “lesbian” in its newly created inclusive phrasebook
The definition of JHU was endorsed by Paula Neira, the program director of LGBTQ+ Equity and Education at the university, who herself is transgender.
The glossary is symbolic of the current struggles faced by transgender rights advocates who argue that the word “women” is being “obliterated” in favor of waking terms like “birthers” and “menstruators.”
Biological women who are also lesbians have also complained of being bullied and shamed for refusing to have sex with transgender women who still have penises, and Johns Hopkins’ new guide is likely to further fuel that argument.
Supporters say the controversial terms include transgender men and non-binary people, but critics say they are effectively obliterating another historically oppressed minority — women — at the expense of a small minority.
Some organizations have compromised by publishing guides using terms such as “women and laborers,” but Johns Hopkins has made no such concessions.
Many progressives use terms like “pregnant people” and even “wombs.”
Former US Navy nurse Paula Neira was one of the nation’s foremost experts on transgender military service and was instrumental in the repeal of the “don’t ask, don’t tell” policy in the United States. army
The extensive glossary is full of definitions that aim to be inclusive and reflect an evolving understanding of gender and sexual identity
The entire department where Neira works is overseen by Sherita Hill Golden, MD (pictured), who holds the label of Chief Diversity Officer
The definition of JHU was endorsed by Paula Neira, the program director of LGBTQ+ Equity and Education at the university – who herself is transgender.
She works within the school’s Office of Diversity, Inclusion and Health Equity.
Neira chairs the Sexual Orientation and Gender Identity Working Group at the university.
She was one of the country’s leading experts on transgender military conscription, and was instrumental in the repeal of the military’s “don’t ask, don’t tell” policy, which allowed gays, lesbians and bisexuals could serve openly in the armed forces. .
The entire department where Neira works is supervised by Sherita Hill Golden, MD who holds the Chief Diversity Officer label.
Neira chairs the Sexual Orientation and Gender Identity Working Group at the university. She’s pictured this weekend at a Capital Pride celebration in Washington, DC
Golden, who is black, helped implement the university’s “Culturally and Linguistically Appropriate Standards of Service,” a system-wide policy that prohibits patient discrimination against employees and interns.
Golden also introduced a system-wide train-the-trainer program for unconscious bias and anti-racism.
It has led some to accuse the university of obliterating women, noting that there is a lack of non-binary language when it comes to the definition of “gay man” – who are still referred to as “men.”
Historically, “gay” has been used specifically for both men and women – and more generally for all gay or bisexual individuals, while “lesbian” has always been a term specific to the female gender.
The current definition of “lesbian” in the Johns Hopkins glossary explicitly recognizes such a shift from previous definitions aimed at including non-binary individuals who identify as lesbian.
Online outrage was swift and direct, with critics sharing their horror
Online, the outrage was swift and direct: “What is this absolute bullshit @JohnsHopkins? ‘Non-men’? We are women. Stop erasing us,” Amy Curtis wrote.
“New progressive definition of woman has just been dropped: we are now ‘non-men,'” explains Maggie.
Why is a lesbian a non-man and a gay not a woman? Progressive misogyny,’ Arielle Scarcella suggested.
“One of the most prestigious universities in the world reduces women to ‘non-men’ in the pursuit of LGBTQ perfection. Now do you see why women are so angry about gender ideology? Erasing women as a separate gender class is at the core,” said Susan Dalgety.
‘What the actual f….? So now we’re not just reduced to body parts or bleeders or just a subset of women, we’re now ‘non-men,'” wrote British TV presenter Julia Hartley-Brewer.
The incident reflects a widespread reaction from conservatives against LGBTQ+ rights and society’s increasing acceptance of queer communities.
Several state legislatures have passed laws targeting transgender communities, specifically targeting parental access to gender-affirming care for trans children.
Influenced by a small number of far-right voices, some conservatives have also criticized companies and brands, such as Target and Bud Light, that market products to LGBTQ+ communities or participate in Pride Month events.
Johns Hopkins University’s definition differs from that of other organizations, including the Anti-Defamation League (ADL) and the Human Rights Campaign (HRC).
The HRCs define lesbianism as an attraction to women while including references to non-binary lesbians.
The ADL definition defines a lesbian as a woman who is attracted to other women without additional punishment.
Both organizations use more flexible definitions of “gay” that encompass all gender identities, with the HRC also using the term “queer” as an overarching definition.
Johns Hopkins University was known for its rigorous academics, commitment to research and innovation, and its contributions to advancing knowledge and solving complex problems in a wide variety of fields
The focus on such awake definitions shows just how far Johns Hopkins University has fallen from one of the world’s most prestigious and respected scientific institutions.
The university was known for its rigorous academics, dedication to research and innovation, and its contributions to advancing knowledge and solving complex problems in a wide variety of fields.
In recent times, the institution has been tracking a slew of global data related to the coronavirus in terms of cases, deaths and vaccinations around the world.
The university helped develop the first effective treatment for sickle cell anemia in the 1940s and was involved in the development of the polio vaccine a decade later.
In the late 1940s, the university was the first to capture images of the Earth’s curvature with a V-2 rocket and was instrumental in developing the first supersonic jet engine.
In the field of modern neuroscience, Johns Hopkins is at the forefront of breakthrough treatments and research, including mapping the human genome and developing the first effective cancer immunotherapy.
The university has been a pioneer in cardiac surgery – the school performed the first successful surgical repair of babies with congenital heart defects.
Advances in HIV/AIDS research and treatment have also been at the forefront of the work of Johns Hopkins, who have been actively involved in developing diagnostic tests for HIV and paving the way for antiretroviral therapies since the early years of the epidemic .
But it’s not just here on Earth that the university’s influence is felt – the school has also shown leadership in space exploration and astrophysics.
Johns Hopkins University’s Applied Physics Laboratory has been involved in numerous space missions and scientific discoveries, including the development of NASA’s New Horizons spacecraft, which provided the first close-up images of Pluto and its moons and even helped launch the first spacecraft on a planet. asteroid landing.