What is an Em?

An “em” is a woman or a girl, or anything between. Ems like ourselves struggle to find a word to self-identify that does not have some pejorative or disorted meaning to it. Many object to being called a woman because it sounds “too matronly” or “too formal.” Many also object to being called a girl because it sounds condescending. The slew of other words that ems are often called (lady, gal, babe, mama, etc.) carry their own derogatory weight. By creating a word for women that is free (at least currently) from abuse and misuse, that doesn’t yet have any connotations, whether negative, positive, sleazy, or otherwise, we don’t have to feel the frustration of not being able to accurately self-identify.
So, we are Ems.