I just came out as GC at work, to the big boss and I feel a bit sick

I'm not being nasty. I think it's total rubbish. And somewhat....patronising, of our nation's teenagers that they can't possibly know.

If someone doesn't know they have a cervix , I worry about them having a job and a life.

As a teenager, I didn't know, or have any interest in my body parts so I am one of those people you may have fake worry over.

Your sweeping judgement comes across as nasty and lacks understanding of anything other than your own experiences.

FYI - I have a job AND a life.

You need children to have an opinion now?

Nice.

Butwas
So you do not have children and yet you are so incredibly sure of your facts that you know more about all of our children than we do.

HOW
would a pre sexual teenager know if they have a cervix?
after all not all girls are born with one
HOW
would a pre sexual teenager know how to find a cervix?

I was annoyed at the ridiculous posts claiming a living teenager at this time doesn't know they have a cervix.

Yes.

I've never said I agree with the concept.

Oh, sorry. I thought you were getting frustrated at Mumsnet users pointing out that not everyone would understand certain biological terms.

Apparently not

I've never said I agree with the concept.

My point is that my friend's mother undoubtedly understands the English word for 'woman' but probably not 'cervix haver'.

[quote ListeningQuietly]@Butwasitherdriveway
Do you have children?
Do they understand what the prostate gland is and what it does ?
Do they understand what the cervix is and how it changes ?
Do you - well enough to allow them to understand how their bodies will change over the decades?

The job of health information
is to make sure as many people as possible
from all parts of society

DO UNDERSTAND
and for that, clear wording, not muddied by "inclusion" is needed.[/quote]
No.

But I agree.

I never said I didn't.

What I can't handle is this faux stupidity peddled out.

Yes, it COULD be an issue in years to come if we remove the word cervix.

But no existing person in their teens or adulthood (except the token person who doesn't understand anything based on disabilities that PP use as a gotcha ) doesn't know they have a cervix.

[quote Biscuitsanddoombar]Jo’s trust survey

43% of women don’t know what the cervix is

www.jostrust.org.uk/node/666780[/quote]
Thank you Biscuits.

This point is well worth repeating. Ignoring the statistics (even if they are 20% off - Ie 9% either way) it is still one third at least not knowing.

Your point ?

Oh for goodness sake.

MN is ridiculous for this. Absolutely ridiculous.

How many languages can you recognise the word for ‘woman’ in? And how many languages can you recognise the phrase for ‘person with a cervix’ in? A woman who’s recently moved here and isn’t fluent in the language might know perfectly well that she has a Gebärmutterhals or a col de l'utérus or an emakakael but that doesn’t mean she knows the local word for it.

My friend's mother has lived in the UK for nearly 30 years and still speaks very, very basic English. This is not unusual in the area in which she lives.

Does she, and other women like her (who were stay at home mothers) deserve information in a basic English format that they can understand?

@Butwasitherdriveway
Do you have children?
Do they understand what the prostate gland is and what it does ?
Do they understand what the cervix is and how it changes ?
Do you - well enough to allow them to understand how their bodies will change over the decades?

The job of health information
is to make sure as many people as possible
from all parts of society

DO UNDERSTAND
and for that, clear wording, not muddied by "inclusion" is needed.

All I'm asking you to do is answer the question: How does a teenager know if they have a cervix?

Which is all very clever.

Except I point blank refuse to believe someone's TEENAGER daughter currently in existence somewhere between 13 and 18 doesn't know they have a cervix.

Still waiting for you to answer the question.

If a human is categorised as a cervix however, and no other words are allowed to be connected to that organ, how do they know?

So if a child is never told if they are a girl or boy, how will they know if they have a cervix? Will someone come round and say 'you are the following: a uterus haver, a cervix haver, an ovary haver and after your first period you are a menstruator'? For boys you are a penis haver, prostrate haver, testicle haver and a sperm producer. I do wonder how they know which is which and what belongs together....

I am sick fed up of people pulling this card as a gotcha.

People with disabilities are not a gotcha moment.

If someone doesn't know they have a cervix , I worry about them having a job and a life.

Recogising the numbers of women who do not know they have a cervix and/or are unfamiliar with anatomical names for parts of their body has been the basis for campaigns to raise awareness of women's sex specific cancers. (see links upthead)

Sneering at those women unfamiliar (for whatever reason) with the cervix is not a good look.

Oh for goodness sake.

MN is ridiculous for this. Absolutely ridiculous.

That's not really addressing the point raised, though, is it.

If someone doesn't know they have a cervix , I worry about them having a job and a life.

Lots of people can’t read to any significant level.

Many people cannot do basic arithmetic.

I survived two years working as a vet in a foreign country without knowing the word for cervix as it’s not something that comes up ever unless related to giving birth or or cancer screening.

People live, survive and thrive without knowing much about their bodies. Perhaps your ivory tower is a little too isolating.

There is another thread going on discussing what gets covered in sex education, PSHE and science at school.
Many parts of UK society actively discourage their children from learning the basics of anatomy and reproduction.

Most girls will not understand what their cervix actually is.
Most boys have no idea what their prostate gland is.

Transmen have a cervix.
Transwomen have a prostate.

Accurately identifying the biological reality of people
while accepting their choices in dress and sexual and social partners
is essential

If someone doesn't know they have a cervix , I worry about them having a job and a life.

What a hateful, sneery attitude to take. It betrays so much about you.

Plenty of people upthread have referenced the numbers of women who might well not know whether they have a cervix, whether because they have learning disabilities, are not proficient in English, or are functionally illiterate, to name a few possible reasons.

You don’t give a shit about those women and girls, do you? Those truly vulnerable, marginalised women and girls.

It’s genuinely appalling.

You might think it's ridiculous but it is a reality for people. My mum doesn't know. English is her second language.