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People who have the condition are born with ovaries?!

130 replies

Confusedovaries · 03/09/2024 21:06

I have just read a Guardian article about polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS). In the article, it says that “people with the condition were born with ovaries”, as well as two of three other features.

This sentence doesn’t flow particularly easily, so I re-read it a couple of times to try and clarify the point. Tell me - is it using this phraseology in order to avoid saying “women”? Throughout the article, it refers to “people” with PCOS rather than “women”.

I don’t usually contribute to this board, but this has troubled me. How can it not be possible to talk about women’s health, without using the word “women”? Please tell me I’ve misinterpreted!

PCOS article

The invisible toll of life with polycystic ovary syndrome

The overlooked emotional and psychological effects of PCOS are creating a silent mental health crisis

https://www.theguardian.com/wellness/article/2024/sep/03/pcos-effects-mental-health

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GoldThumb · 25/09/2025 08:13

Mumofteenandtween · 03/09/2024 21:48

It does seem rather likely that people with Polycystic Ovary Syndrome will have ovaries.

It is like saying “people with a sore leg will have at least one leg”.

Literally.

It’s ridiculous, I’m sure men will still be called men though.

PCOS is one of the ‘intersex’ conditions they include to peddle that there are as many intersex people as redheads, isn’t it?

Maybe that’s why they don’t want to say women 🙄

NoBinturongsHereMate · 24/09/2025 18:58

Yes, I've just listened to the first 2 episodes. Think I'll need to do them again, because there's a lot to take in.

OIlive · 24/09/2025 12:15

They are utter, utter bastards writing like this in an attempt to erase the word women.

spannasaurus · 23/09/2025 21:42

TheKeatingFive · 23/09/2025 21:35

Did this just get moved to the naughty corner? 🙄

No it started here but in 2024

TheKeatingFive · 23/09/2025 21:35

Did this just get moved to the naughty corner? 🙄

TheKeatingFive · 23/09/2025 21:27

I do not have sufficient words to express the stupidity of this bullshit movement.

TheKeatingFive · 23/09/2025 21:25

LunaandLily · 04/09/2024 08:01

Imane Khelif has ovaries but if you call her a woman on mumsnet, you better watch out. Never happy, you lot.

How on earth would you know that? 🫠

ArghCheese123 · 23/09/2025 21:20

SinnerBoy · 06/09/2024 03:04

Waitingfordoggo

If someone hasn’t started their periods by the time they’re 16 (which will be at least 50% of people), should they all go to their GP to ask for investigation? After all they might have ovaries they don’t know about.

That's an excellently made point! And a good example of why clear, concise language is vital, especially in matters of medicine and health.

It does sound like it!

ArghCheese123 · 23/09/2025 21:19

And prostrate cancer is for people with prostrates? Should we all get checked 😁Just in case?

SinnerBoy · 06/09/2024 03:04

Waitingfordoggo

If someone hasn’t started their periods by the time they’re 16 (which will be at least 50% of people), should they all go to their GP to ask for investigation? After all they might have ovaries they don’t know about.

That's an excellently made point! And a good example of why clear, concise language is vital, especially in matters of medicine and health.

duc748 · 06/09/2024 01:31

And they say romance is dead...

NoBinturongsHereMate · 06/09/2024 01:09

Not surprising the numbers improve with age - more time to have had the, "Left a bit. Down a bit. Nearly ... . No. Oh for fuck's sake - here!' conversation.

RedToothBrush · 05/09/2024 16:36

https://www.dailymail.co.uk/health/article-13816361/study-Gen-Zs-womans-pleasure-centre-is.html

A new survey commissioned by The Urology Foundation found just 41 per cent of men aged 18-24 are aware of where the clitoris is on a female body, compared to 70 per cent of 55 to 64 year-olds.

Across all ages, 61 per cent correctly identified the region.

But the survey of 2,000 UK men showed they were more knowledgeable about female sexual anatomy than their own.

In fact, only 48 per cent of men aged 18 to 24 knew the location of their prostate.

A previous YouGov survey showed that almost half of Brits do not know where the vagina is — and it's not just men who are ignorant.

The 2019 poll revealed almost half of women could not label the vagina. And around half of both genders didn't know where the labia was.

It revealed a third of men of all ages didn't know where the clitoris was.

Only 38 per cent of 18 to 24-year-olds surveyed knew the location of the prostate compared to 58 per cent of 55 to 64-year-olds.

Study reveals Gen Z's understanding of woman's 'pleasure centre'

The Urology Foundation found 61 per cent of men could correctly identify the location of the clitoris. But less than half of Gen Z (18-24) knew where it was.

https://www.dailymail.co.uk/health/article-13816361/study-Gen-Zs-womans-pleasure-centre-is.html

Putmeinsummer · 04/09/2024 22:59

AppropriateAdult · 03/09/2024 21:44

God, that's really dire. "This syndrome affecting the ovaries affects people with ovaries." How did this get past a copy editor's desk?

Smacks of find and replace at the last minute

Harassedevictee · 04/09/2024 22:56

Just seen this on x and fired off a complaint.

How dare they do this.

Snowypeaks · 04/09/2024 17:18

SaltPorridge · 04/09/2024 16:43

Well apparently, PCOS "can affect gender identity".
/irony/ I thought my gender id was feminine but since my ovaries gave me acne and raging PMS I figure I'm masculine./

deleted - my post didn't make sense!

ErrolTheDragon · 04/09/2024 17:11

Unfortunately, nowadays it may cause some youngsters to question their 'gender identity'. It'd be interesting to know if, along with autism, there's more girls with PCOS who do.... but, it's terribly underdiagnosed prior to women TTC and finding they're subfertile so I very much doubt the data exists.Sad

RufustheFactualReindeer · 04/09/2024 16:57

Well apparently, PCOS "can affect gender identity"

oh well they can just fuck off with that

ridiculous

SaltPorridge · 04/09/2024 16:43

Well apparently, PCOS "can affect gender identity".
/irony/ I thought my gender id was feminine but since my ovaries gave me acne and raging PMS I figure I'm masculine./

StickItInTheFamilyAlbum · 04/09/2024 14:54

How can it not be possible to talk about women’s health, without using the word “women”?

Seconding everyone who says it isn't possible to do so in a way that's readily understood. So, inclusion (general) is sacrificed in the name of greater inclusivity (relatively niche).

Sarah Dahlen: Do we need the word ‘woman’ in healthcare?

Should clinicians be using the word ‘woman’ in medical language? Are phrases like ‘human milk’, ‘parental’ and ‘hand-held notes’ preferable to ‘breastmilk’, ‘maternal’ and ‘maternity notes’1? Whether to adopt a new terminology is a complex question, worthy of reflection and analysis, and open dialogue between patients, clinicians and academics. While new phrases might be argued as socially progressive, their ability to translate into medical practice or general health messaging seems currently uncertain. Clinicians might be put into a difficult position of balancing various concerns around language choice in healthcare communication, and it is, therefore, important they are aware of multiple viewpoints.

https://pmj.bmj.com/content/97/1150/483

DM article (linked below) is a good overview of this academic paper:
Effective Communication About Pregnancy, Birth, Lactation, Breastfeeding and Newborn Care: The Importance of Sexed Language
Front. Glob. Womens Health, 07 February 2022
Sec. Maternal Health
Volume 3 - 2022 | https://doi.org/10.3389/fgwh.2022.818856

https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/global-womens-health/articles/10.3389/fgwh.2022.818856/full

https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-10458159/Experts-warn-health-fears-replacing-mum-birth-giver.html

Helen Lewis: In Defense of Saying ‘Pregnant Women’

short URL of the mess below: https://shorturl.at/SNt7v

<a class="break-all" href="https://web.archive.org/web/20211029200833/www.theatlantic.com/ideas/archive/2021/10/pregnant-women-people-feminism-language/620468" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">https://web.archive.org/web/20211029200833/www.theatlantic.com/ideas/archive/2021/10/pregnant-women-people-feminism-language/620468/

Experts warn of health fears over replacing 'mum' with 'birth-giver'

Greater use of gender-neutral terms can have 'unintended consequences that have serious implications for women and children', according to a paper due to be published this week.

https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-10458159/Experts-warn-health-fears-replacing-mum-birth-giver.html

Grammarnut · 04/09/2024 13:46

It's avoiding the word 'woman' passim. 'Menstruating people' is included as well as 'born with ovaries'.
Article is by a woman so wtaf?
The Guardian lost me nearly 30 years ago - it's so woke it falls over its imaginary penis.
Ooh! Missed this bit half-way through (scanning, I'm afraid): ' long-held and widely quantified truth that, medically, women’s bodies just don’t matter all that much'. So she knows and she still does it!

RufustheFactualReindeer · 04/09/2024 12:33

LunaandLily · 04/09/2024 11:13

Not going to @ you all individually because you’re all making the same point - you call her a man but you don’t have x-ray vision, aren’t her doctor or part of the IOC… Thanks for proving my original point, though. Never happy, you lot.

What errol said

any comments yourself regarding the OP?

RedToothBrush · 04/09/2024 12:00

mansplainingsincethe90s · 04/09/2024 09:05

It's The Guardian, what do you expect?

Given the Guardian's origins, I expect better. Thats what I expect.

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