Dems Redefine 'Preference' To Attack ACB; Merriam-Webster Meekly Follows Their Lead
It appears that the Democratic Party is working in tandem with the Merriam-Webster publishing company. Or, at the very least, Merriam-Webster is dedicated to helping the Democratic Party in its goal of slandering the character of Judge Amy Coney Barrett.
Although the term “sexual preference” had previously been widely uttered by Democrats and pro-LGBT activists, it all of a sudden appeared to take on a whole new meaning after Barrett used the phrase in the context of gay marriage.
Democratic Hawaii Sen. Mazie Hirono announced this strange change in definition Tuesday during Barrett’s Supreme Court confirmation hearing before the Senate, making it seem as though “sexual preference” has always been a term used by “anti-LGBTQ activists.”
“Let me make clear, ‘sexual preference’ is an offensive and outdated term,” Hirono said.
Let me make clear – sexual preference is an offensive and outdated term.
To suggest sexual orientation is a choice? It’s not. It’s a key part of a person’s identity.
The LGBTQ+ community should be concerned with #WhatsAtStake with Judge Barrett on the Supreme Court. pic.twitter.com/4TWyATMX0Y
— Senator Mazie Hirono (@maziehirono) October 13, 2020
“It is used by anti-LGBTQ activists to suggest that sexual orientation is a choice. It is not. Sexual orientation is a key part of a person’s identity,” said Hirono, who was soon joined in those sentiments by other liberals.
The very next day, it became clear that Merriam-Webster had changed its definition of “preference” to match this new redefinition as described by Hirono.
As recently as last month, Webster’s Dictionary included a definition of “preference” as “orientation” or “sexual preference.” TODAY they changed it and added the word “offensive.”
Insane – I just checked through Wayback Machine and it’s real.
(via @ThorSvensonn & @chadfelixg) pic.twitter.com/oOq1SNtCP2
— Steve Krakauer (@SteveKrak) October 14, 2020
An archived web page of the dictionary shows that as recently as last month, one of the definitions of the word “preference” was “orientation” (in the sense of one’s sexual orientation, or “sexual preference”).
As of Wednesday, the use of the word “preference” to describe a person’s sexual orientation is now deemed “offensive.”
“The term preference as used to refer to sexual orientation is widely considered offensive in its implied suggestion that a person can choose who they are sexually or romantically attracted to,” Merriam-Webster says.
How Merriam-Webster defines “widely considered” appears to be up for some interpretation, considering numerous pro-LGBT, left-wing advocates have used the term in the past:
I live in a world where Color,sexual preference,Religion that people are is equal to me .If I like you I’ll vibe with you if I don’t SMD
— iamcardib (@iamcardib) December 31, 2016
Come out of the darkness and into the light! Love yourself and your sexual preference. God does. https://t.co/3NH0KsHGoB
— Mark Ruffalo (@MarkRuffalo) November 18, 2017
just watched #TheImatationGame
&can’t stop Crying.
How could we torture
ppl,ruin their Lives &drive Them 2 Suicide,
4 SEXUAL PREFERENCE?— Cher (@cher) February 24, 2015
Additionally, the Washington Free Beacon released a video Tuesday showing a long list of liberal politicians and figures, including Democratic presidential nominee Joe Biden and the late Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg, using the phrase:
Despite all of this, according to Hirono and the editors behind the scenes at Merriam-Webster, it is “widely” known that “sexual preference” is a derogatory term.
Merriam-Webster’s explanation didn’t help the publisher’s case all that much.
“From time to time, we release one or some of these scheduled changes early when a word or set of words is getting extra attention, and it would seem timely to share that update,” Peter Sokolowski, the dictionary’s editor at large, said in a statement to USA Today.
“From time to time, we release one or some of these scheduled changes early when a word or set of words is getting extra attention, and it would seem timely to share that update,” he added.
“In this case, we released the update for sexual preference when we noticed that the entries for preference and sexual preference were being consulted in connection with the SCOTUS hearings. A revision made in response to an entry’s increased attention differs only in celerity — as always, all revisions reflect evidence of use.”
That doesn’t change the fact that Merriam Webster caved, first by deciding to label a term “offensive” to satisfy the radical left, and then by officially implementing that change just about as soon as the term came under fire from liberals during a high-profile confirmation hearing.
The left sees even the truth itself as a tool that can be contorted and manipulated to further their goals.
Right now, the left has no greater goal than keeping Amy Coney Barrett from joining the Supreme Court of the United States — and it appears Merriam Webster is willing to help them.
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