Companies have come under fire for using the word “womxn” instead of “woman,” after worrying the latter word excludes transgender people.

Feminists have argued that it is biological women who are being excluded by the newly popular word, and that no one calls men “mxn.”

The Wellcome Collection apologised on Wednesday after being criticised for using the word to describe women and non-gender-conforming people in promotional material for its new exhibition “daylighting”, a piece of artwork that “explores the presence of womxn through their art, thinking and speculations”.

Jess Phillips, the MP for Birmingham Yardley said in response: “I've never met a trans woman who was offended by the word woman being used, so I'm not sure why this keeps happening. As if internet dissent now replaces public policy. I get what they are trying to do but why is it only women not men where this applies."

Feminist campaigner Carolie Criado Perez agreed, adding: “What the hell? You can’t just make up words