Midwives told to stop using terms such as 'breastfeeding' and 'breastmilk'

[MissMoped]

because it’s not gender inclusive language, I believe with particular reference to the transexual debate.

This is at Brighton and Sussex nhs trust btw, good to know NHS money is being spent wisely btw, poring over the “incorrect” use of language.

The word “mother” apparently should not be used on its own; instead “mother or birthing parent” (um, isn’t that a mother?).

Breast milk and breastfeeding is to be replace by “breast/chest milk” or “milk from the feeding parent”. “Woman” should be replaced with “woman or person”.

Gobsmacked.

Whatever their personal preferences, transmen are a subset of women, not men. Manipulating language to suggest otherwise is misleading, and misleading information helps no-one.

But Dadjoke what I really struggle with is the concept that transmen are women that do not identify as women hence wish to be referred to and thought of as men yet at the same time wish to use their female bodies for the fact that it can give them babies, but are so sensitive that they can't handle being referred to in the language that has been used across the ages to describe people who have given birth, you know the w word.

What a load of nonsense.

And no I don't buy the fact that this is additional language.

I am a woman and I am seeing systematic erasure of the use of the word woman in health, in businesses and now in parliament.

Without consent or consultation.

@Mockolate

This is a wake up call for those who believe this language will not cause harm

Just read that article.
Seems it's not the word cervix that people don't know, it's that they don't know whereabouts it is.

And the fact that 25% of women couldn't identify their vagina, despite now being vagina havers .... must be pretty confusing for them.

only 63% of women knew what the words 'menstrual cycle' mean.... makes reading articles or any communication about menstrual cycles meaningless for 27% of women. Meaning they won't read it, pick up a pamphlet etc if it is clearly aimed at 'menstrual cycle' or 'menstruators'.

I am not really sure why anyone seeing this study would doubt that it would not be replicated done again? That it is irrelevant to keeping language about 'women and ' and 'girls and ' so that even if they cannot locate the 'cervix' they understand this information is important and they may actually need it.

Or, shall we just ignore people who don't understand these terms in the pursuit of 'people' health?

Surely using breast feeding is already more inclusive than chest feeding? Why highlight the difference for trans women?

For most non-trans women, that's breastfeeding, mother, etc. For trans men, it's not. Why on earth would you have a problem with it?

For most women, that's breastfeeding, mother, etc. For trans men, it is too.

You can’t pick and choose the bits of your sex to suit you, as Freddie McConnell discovered when he registered his child’s birth. Whatever he thinks, legally he’s his child’s mother.

For most non-trans women, that's breastfeeding, mother, etc. For trans men, it's not. Why on earth would you have a problem with it?

Because if a trans man has had a child, they are a mother, and they are breastfeeding it using their breasts. Really. Literally.
And it’s most women, not “most non-transwomen”. Really, that’s so insulting.

QueenoftheAir

"For most non-trans women"

For most womenthere, corrected it for you.

Well yes. Exactly what Queen said.

And borntobequiet.

If you’re that sensetive about your femaleness then may I suggest that pregnancy and childbirth probably arent’ for you, cos like, they are about the most womanly things you can possibly do.

@hangaround

As far as I am aware, it's not intended to replace current language, but to be used in addition to, where appropriate.

Midwives, like anyone else in a caring role are encouraged to be inclusive. That doesn't automatically mean not using terms like "breastfeeding" or "woman" it means treating people as individuals- asking for pronouns and preferences. So if for example, a transgender man would prefer terms like "breast" are not used, "chest feeding" may be used as an alternative.

The TM was a woman if he gave birth.

Men don't have wombs.

For most non-trans women, that's breastfeeding, mother, etc. For trans men, it's not. Why on earth would you have a problem with it?

Because chest feeding can mean something else. Chest feeding is detaching the meaning from the 'breast'. You are ignoring the number of women who suffer detachment to their breasts during this time and for some of us it is persistent. This makes chestfeeding harmful to women who suffer from this. If it was simply a case of it being used specifically for transmen individually, it would be different.

It is not. It is a term that is being used by breastfeeding organisations who are supposed to be centring those who have trouble breastfeeding. As someone who had this trouble and became very detached from my breasts as a consequence, (And this is a rarely acknowledged thing, but once women start talking about it together, seems pretty common) the last thing I needed would have been to referred to as a chest feeder by an organisation that was supposed to support me.

@lifeturnsonadime

But Dadjoke what I really struggle with is the concept that transmen are women that do not identify as women hence wish to be referred to and thought of as men yet at the same time wish to use their female bodies for the fact that it can give them babies, but are so sensitive that they can't handle being referred to in the language that has been used across the ages to describe people who have given birth, you know the w word.

What a load of nonsense.

And no I don't buy the fact that this is additional language.

I am a woman and I am seeing systematic erasure of the use of the word woman in health, in businesses and now in parliament.

Without consent or consultation.

^This

This makes chestfeeding harmful to women who suffer from this

This makes using chestfeeding, harmful to women who suffer from this.

@KatyClaire

I’m a breastfeeding mother and gender inclusive language is not harmful to me, but may help others. This doesn’t bother me at all.

But you’re not breastfeeding. You’re chestfeeding if you want to be inclusive.

Previous term: "Mumsnet"
New term: "Birthingpersonsnet"

Misogynistic lunacy.

Without consent or consultation.

^This

This.

Without

Consent

Or

COnsultation

Works like this are not to ADD to a society.

They are designed to TAKE AWAY from a society.

Particularly for girls and women in this case.

This is why the TG+ crowd attach themselves onto the LGB/Ethnicity/Age/Sex (Womens Rights) etc causes.

To create a false equivalence.

To aforementioned pushed for positivity. To ADD to society. The latter is demanding that others Rights are taken away from them.

And THIS is why language matters.

Men can’t give birth. A squirrel cannot ride a bicycle. But we are constantly being told that yes, the squirrel can ride a bicycle and actually they are really good at it, probably better than we are in fact. And somehow a large proportion of the population seems to have just abandoned all reason and the ability to apply any logic and are all just collectively going around pretending that there is an entire world full of bicycle riding squirrels despite the fact no one has ever seen a squirrel riding a bicycle. Because they can’t.

This article has been highlighted by my local media and apparently the terminology is only applied to those who want it.

My issue with this though is - if you are truly that sensitive about being referred to as 'female' that language triggers you why would you do one of those most female things on the planet via getting pregnant and giving birth?

I don't agree with the whole 'woke' parade attempting to change the definition of language ('not only women give birth, not only women get abortions') in order to defy basic biology and suit a minority's ....'mindset'.

Chests don't feed, breasts do. It's just a biological fact.

I'm all for inclusivity but trans people are not going to get acceptance by changing basic biological facts to suit them and thereby 'gaslighting' and scaring the rest of society into complying. It's ridiculous.

"For most non-trans women"

For WOMEN. For God's Sake, FOR WOMEN.

Why are you so intent on erasing us?

Why does there need to be two threads about this?