Woke scientists propose replacing ‘female’ with ‘egg-producing’ in order to mitigate ‘harm’ and avoid ‘emphasizing hetero-normative views’

A group of scientists from the US and Canada have recently launched the EEB (Ecology and Evolutionary Biology) Language Project, calling for a shift in the terminology used in their field in order to be more “inclusive” and to mitigate “harm.” 

They suggest replacing words such as “male” and “female” with phrases like “sperm-producing” and “egg-producing,” as well as other terms that could be seen as “xenophobic” or “anti-immigrant.” 

They claim that the terms must be designed to avoid “emphasizing hetero-normative views” on sex. Other terms to get the ax include man, woman, mother, father, primitive, invasive, and so on. 

The project, which was published in the Trends in Ecology and Evolution journal, has been met with both support and criticism, the Telegraph reported. 

Proponents of the changes say they can help to boost inclusivity and prevent inadvertent harm. Dr. Kaitlyn Gaynor, an author on the paper, said the project started as a Twitter conversation and that they reached out to networks focused on increasing inclusion and equity in the field.

However, critics have warned that abandoning traditional terms could lead to a lack of precision in science, as well as confusion.

Prof. Frank Furedi from the University of Kent said:

 When you characterise terms like male/female, mother/father as harmful you are abandoning science for ideological advocacy.

He added that the last thing scientists need is a lack of clarity about the meaning of the words they use.

The EEB Language Project is compiling a repository of “problematic” words and suggesting alternatives, such as replacing the phrase “survival of the fittest” with “survival of the most adaptable.”

They are also suggesting changing the phrase “double-blind” to “person-blind,” and have flagged up the term “citizen science” saying it could be “harmful to non-citizens.”

Dr. Danielle Ignace of UBC said the project will be a “living document” as the words that are seen as harmful and their alternatives can change over time. She added that people can submit their own suggestions online and that the hope is “this grassroots effort brings people together.”