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LONDON (Thomson Reuters Foundation) - An Italian dictionary has revised its “sexist” definition of a woman - dropping negative words including “whore” and “bitch” from the list of synonyms following a high-profile campaign for change.
Dozens of public figures, from writers to lawmakers, signed an open letter to the Treccani online dictionary in March demanding action to remove offensive terms - and pointing out that the synonyms used for “man” were largely positive.
Among the words that have been scrapped from the entry defining a woman are “puttana” (whore) and “cagna” (bitch).
Maria Beatrice Giovanardi, an activist who led the campaign, said Treccani had also promised a wider review to ensure women are shown playing an equal role in society in definitions and to describe relationships using LGBT+-inclusive language.