Trans rights supporters -can we please unite on the cervical cancer issue

People born female may not know if they have a cervix & some may have had their cervix removed.
As I have said before, some GPs will need confirmation from a woman's consultatnt oncologist that a vault smear is not neccessary (this can be done after a total hysterectomy eg when a woman has had her cervix removed following a cancer dx)

All people born male can be sure they do not have a cervix.
All people born male can be sure they do not need a smear test.

If someone rang and said

Im not sure if i have a cervix...how do i know i have a cervix

How would they explain

I agree. I think their idea of "inclusive" is entirely driven by gender identity ideology. It excludes far more people than it includes.

I think people with gender dysphoria need to be a special interest group targeted separately. As I said, it's not possible to validate their identity all the time while providing clear plain English educational material to women (or men). And it creates the idea that women's groups and social media sites can't talk about women's health issues because its exclusionary to transgender people. And I have seen this happen time and time again where women are bullied and shut down for speaking about their biological reality.

"It’s Cervical Screening Awareness week, which we’ve been supporting across our social media channels. One tweet sparked debate around the inclusive language we selected, which led journalists to cover the discussions on Twitter. Some people were against our choice, others were supportive."

Why do CRUK think that excluding the word women leads to greater inclusivity?

That's a great link Lass.

The fact is, your sex does impact your healthcare - it’s one of many reasons that people are fighting against the current desire by some to ignore natal sex.

YY.

It doesn't matter how hard we try to comply. The massive problem is that transactivists have created a situation where it's considered more important to validate an identity than to take life saving health measures. This applies across the board. They can stop it, any time, by readjusting priorities.

This. I'm concerned by this "inclusivity" creep to validate a biological lie and some of the things I have seen happen because of it.

A Public Service Announcement: Even if you no longer have a cervix, you should still consider having a smear as cervical cells and the surrounding cells are not well-differentiated.

This. So yes it does need to say "women". If considered necessary then also "other people with a cervix". But I don't think we should create an expectation that this stuff will always be pandered to at all times. Women's health is important and it's not always possible to be "inclusive" of females who don't think they are women in every line of everything ever written about it. I think we need to draw a line between sex and gender identity and refer to "male" or "female".

Re sources of information Grazia.daily.uk runs regular articles on smear tests.

This is their take on the current awareness week.

graziadaily.co.uk/life/health-fitness/cervical-cancer-screening-smear-test/

MrsMcWoodle - women’s bits are discussed in a magical way a lot of the time, even in factual conversation.

I’ve had two bio kids and I’m still not sure how the ‘birth canal’ appears and disappears depending on context? I’ve started to think it must disapparate, Harry Potter style...

I do not believe that the wording is designed with transwomen/transmen in mind

They absolutely have confirmed this is the reasoning. They said so on their website. It has nothing to do with the reason you suggested.

It’s Cervical Screening Awareness week, which we’ve been supporting across our social media channels. One tweet sparked debate around the inclusive language we selected, which led journalists to cover the discussions on Twitter. Some people were against our choice, others were supportive.

(extract from Daily Mail article below)

"The charity decided to pull the gendered word from its latest campaign, using the phrase 'everyone with a cervix'.

Cancer Research UK confirmed the move was in a bid to be more inclusive and not to exclude anyone who is biologically female but identifies as male."

www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-5847585/Cancer-Research-UK-swaps-woman-campaign-avoid-offending-transgender-people.html

I went to an all girls school in the 1970s. We had one lesson of biology a week until we were 13. Then it stopped completely.
I don't know what a cervix is even now, actually.

Gah - CRUK have confirmed this was the reason.

'Women and trans people with a cervix'

Can't believe anyone could object to this

I do not believe that the wording is designed with transwomen/transmen in mind, although I do know that my trans child (now adult) would not respond to a call for screening specifying women even though they have a cervix

But the vast majority of posters are perfectly happy to keep the general reference to people who have a cervix.

Would you be happy that a natal woman would not realise she was the target audience because she didn't know she had a cervix?

It is of course entirely up to your son Gah

My mother has never had a smear test or a mammogram and she is in her nineties!

yes sorry! doing three things at once... (always drop one ball!)

should have clarified, Section 28

Would they respond to 'Women, transmen and people with a cervix'?

Gah

Section 28 or Clause 28

This was to prevent local councils from actively promoting homosexuality either in local literature, e.g. pride events or within schools maintained within the LEA. It applied only to Wales, Scotland and England. Scotland was the first to repeal it.

An abhorrent piece of legislation that disgusted me at that time.

I believe that the CRUK wording that the screen is for those with a cervix, rather than specifying women, is that there has been a recent US study which showed that 11% of the people who attended screening (women) no longer had a cervix. Obviously the technician doesn't know this before 'going in' and here in the UK this would be a massive waste of NHS resource.
I do not believe that the wording is designed with transwomen/transmen in mind, although I do know that my trans child (now adult) would not respond to a call for screening specifying women even though they have a cervix.

CRUK have been beyond stupid in doing this.....

Everyone on here seems to agree that women and ... is appropriate.... I cannot understand why they haven't done this. And I bet there is some very robust internal scrutiny now - the negative publicity from this will be literally costing them millions - from donors put off by their foolhardiness and cavalier attitude to reaching those who need the message most)

On a secondary note, surely transpeople are more aware of their need for screens etc than others - they have spent hours with doctors discussing their medical needs, and am I wrong in assuming that this is one caution every doctor would give to anyone transitioning? That it is crucial they still have the tests relevant to their natal sex?

And I would imagine that any GP seeing a transperson for the first time in their surgery, noting their records, would ensure this factual conversation had taken place and record it appropriately....

So I would assume transpeople are far more aware of the need for various screenings than those with english as a second language, or (for example) lacking the knowledge of what a cervix is....