‘Woke Words’ Could Be Banned Under Republican Proposal
February 21, 2025
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A bill seeking to eliminate “woke” words and phrases has been introduced in the West Virginia Legislature.
Newsweek has contacted the 11 Republican state delegates who sponsored the legislation as well as Democratic delegates for comment via email.
Why It Matters
To be “woke,” according to Merriam-Webster, means to be “aware of and actively attentive to important facts and issues (especially issues of racial and social justice).”
In recent years, critics of the concept have co-opted the word as a pejorative to describe anything or anyone who is or appears to be left-leaning. Since President Donald Trump’s return to the White House, he has launched a fight against “wokeness,” ordering an end to the government’s diversity, equity and inclusion efforts.
Trump also told reporters in the Oval Office earlier this month, following his takeover of the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts, that he would ensure future programming would no longer be “woke.”
A “Be Woke. Vote” sign at the “Be Woke Vote” exhibit unveiling at Trap Music Museum in Atlanta on October 17, 2020. A “Be Woke. Vote” sign at the “Be Woke Vote” exhibit unveiling at Trap Music Museum in Atlanta on October 17, 2020. Paras Griffin/Getty Images
What To Know
On Monday, West Virginia delegates introduced House Bill 2406, which seeks to eliminate “woke words and agendas from state government documents, websites, literature, and in person,” the bill said.
The bill also said that in official government documents, websites and literature as well as in person, certain “exclusionary and sexist terms” should be replaced with “accurate, female-affirming alternatives.”
These are the terms:
“Pregnant people” or “pregnant person” to be replaced with “pregnant women” or “pregnant mom”
“Chestfeeding” to be replaced with “breastfeeding”
“Body fed” or “person fed” to be replaced with “breast fed”
“Human milk” to be replaced with “breast milk”
“Birthing person” or “laboring person” to be replaced with “birth mom”
“Menstruating person” or “menstruating people” to be replaced with “woman” or “women”
“Birth-giver” to be replaced with “woman”
“Womxn” or “womyn” to be replaced with “woman”
The state delegates sponsoring the bill are Kathie Hess Crouse, Sarah Drennan, Patrick Lucas, Lisa White, Eric Brooks, Michael Hornby, Ian T. Masters, Michael Amos, Mickey Petitto, Marshall W. Clay and David Cannon.
What People Are Saying
House Bill 2406 said: “All state offices, departments, boards, and commissions are prohibited from using exclusionary, sexist language in state government business, effective immediately.”
President Donald Trump told reporters in the Oval Office earlier this month about the Kennedy Center: “It’s not gonna be woke. There’s no more woke in this country. This woke has cost us a fortune and cost us our reputation, but the reputation’s coming back very, very rapidly.”
What Happens Next
If House Bill 2406 is approved and becomes law, it will take effect on June 1.
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