To think WHO are trying to commit organisational suicide? They’ve said that women of childbearing age should not drink alcohol AT ALL.

[RickiTarr]

www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2021/06/16/accused-sexism-saying-women-childbearing-age-should-not-drink/

[PicsInRed]

It's a clumsy poorly-thought out line

Oh no, given the level of high grade review involved, there would have been nothing throw away or unintentional about that line.

Make no mistake, they absoutely intend the meaning, are testing the water, and fully desire that outcome to take place.

The mistake we (women, minorities) often make is presuming error or ignorance and taking no action when actually the stated want and intent is fully meant and intended.

I'm glad so many women this morning appreciate the danger here.

[merrymouse]

Within that, they make reference to 'appropriate attention' being paid to certain groups in terms of alcohol consumption, and refer to 'women of child-bearing age'.

I understand why they would be mentioning women of child bearing age, but it’s a very big and diverse group. Do they mention men anywhere?

[MarshaBradyo]

I wouldn’t be surprised if this got picked up by the media

[Kinsters]

@EarringsandLipstick

I don't disagree with the points made by PP.

I did look through the report. This is one line. Not any kind of recommendation or action plan.

There is a huge amount of detail in the report. I agree this is poor phrasing, however, it's hyperbolic to talk about Gilead & control of women.

The context of that paragraph (and the entire report) is that ultimately, alcohol consumption isn't a good thing, and the draft report is linked to an action to actively reduce that. (Many may disagree but this is the position held by WHO, and the basis for the report).

Within that, they make reference to 'appropriate attention' being paid to certain groups in terms of alcohol consumption, and refer to 'women of child-bearing age'.

It's a clumsy poorly-thought out line, for sure, and there are many arguments to be made against the stance.

But the reactions are over-the-top. The full report does not pursue this particular line, the recommendations align with their stance on this, and it's possible just to note it's one line in a draft document, it's really not the WHO screaming that no woman who is of child-bearing age should have any alcohol.

The report acknowledges that men make up 77% of deaths from alcohol consumption and 84% of people living with an alcohol use disorder but then makes no recommendations on addressing this clear sex imbalance, not that I can see. It doesn't even address the indirect impact of male drinking. Very misogynistic.

[felulageller]

It's because the harm alcohol does in pregnancy (much worse than other drugs even heroin and cocaine for example) is done before a woman knows she is pregnant. It's those 2 weeks before a missed period or positive test when the damage is done.

There should be more publicity about this.

[Kinsters]

@felulageller

It's because the harm alcohol does in pregnancy (much worse than other drugs even heroin and cocaine for example) is done before a woman knows she is pregnant. It's those 2 weeks before a missed period or positive test when the damage is done.

There should be more publicity about this.

So what? That's not a reason to control the behaviour of women. Especially as the evidence is not that clearcut. What is clear is the harm that male drinking causes to themselves and those around them.

[somethinginoffensive]

Just stole this from a feminism chat thread, this is why we should not pretend it is poorly worded. They chose to specify women of childbearing age specifically, they also chose not to mention male alcohol fuelled violence specifically.

It is shocking to me that in this report they mention the indirect negative effect of drinking in women of childbearing age multiple times (ie foetal alcohol syndrome) yet not once do they mention the link between alcohol and male violence. The report does reference violence and interpersonal violence as an indirect harm arising from alcohol consumption. It also acknowledges that the majority of problem drinkers are male. However it's unable to connect these two together and acknowledge that male violence related to alcohol consumption is undoubtedly a huge problem.

[stackemhigh]

Do our taxes pay for the WHO?

[Novelusername]

@felulageller

It's because the harm alcohol does in pregnancy (much worse than other drugs even heroin and cocaine for example) is done before a woman knows she is pregnant. It's those 2 weeks before a missed period or positive test when the damage is done.

There should be more publicity about this.

Then the advice should be for women trying to conceive, not all women of childbearing age who may have no intention of becoming pregnant and may have an abortion if they did. Why the assumption that women would carry to term an unplanned pregnancy anyway? So many what-ifs involved to justify curtaining women's freedom and ability to take part in social life.

[PenguinBarnotBird]

@Meruem

I’ve long thought that people take too much of what is put out by the WHO as gospel, so actually it’s good that people are now questioning what they say.

Absolutely this

[LizzieSiddal]

Next week Whi announcing any “person of childbearing age” MUST NOT

Cross the road
Eat a sausage roll
Drive
Be a passenger in a car
Horse ride
Do a cart wheel
Climb a ladder

Any more?

[LizzieSiddal]

*Who

[midgemagneto]

Women of childbearing age must not

Put on shoes or clothes
Leave the kitchen

[Thisisus909]

Outrageous!
Highly recommend the chapter in Motherhood a manifesto on this.
Women need to be able to make choices about their own bodies based on science.
It’s also really worrying that this kind of advice can lead to women terminating wanted pregnancies over misplaced fears that drinking before they knew they were pregnant will damage their baby. In reality, the science on light or even moderate drinking doesn’t justify such a drastic decision but women are panicked into thinking that any alcohol WILL damage their baby.

[Kinsters]

@LizzieSiddal

Next week Whi announcing any “person of childbearing age” MUST NOT

Cross the road
Eat a sausage roll
Drive
Be a passenger in a car
Horse ride
Do a cart wheel
Climb a ladder

Any more?

Leave the house without your non-childbearing guardian...

[Arbadacarba]

@felulageller

It's because the harm alcohol does in pregnancy (much worse than other drugs even heroin and cocaine for example) is done before a woman knows she is pregnant. It's those 2 weeks before a missed period or positive test when the damage is done.

There should be more publicity about this.

If you do not intend to become pregnant, that's irrelevant. A woman of child-bearing age isn't necessarily even having sex at any given point - pregnancy may be a total impossibility.

A woman of child-bearing age who is having sex but doesn't want to become pregnant will be using contraception. In the event of a contraceptive failure, the woman might have no intention of continuing the pregnancy.

Women of child-bearing age should not be treated as gestational machines that may spring into action outside the brain's control.

[midgemagneto]

There can be harm to the featus from alcohol , agreed

But what about the harm to women children and the unborn from alcohol related violence by men?

Where is the advice to curb that consumption?

[Thisisus909]

@felulageller

It's because the harm alcohol does in pregnancy (much worse than other drugs even heroin and cocaine for example) is done before a woman knows she is pregnant. It's those 2 weeks before a missed period or positive test when the damage is done.

There should be more publicity about this.

Please provide links to good quality research

[merrymouse]

@felulageller

It's because the harm alcohol does in pregnancy (much worse than other drugs even heroin and cocaine for example) is done before a woman knows she is pregnant. It's those 2 weeks before a missed period or positive test when the damage is done.

There should be more publicity about this.

But this is the advice on the NHS website which doesn’t mention a particular stage in pregnancy.

www.nhs.uk/conditions/foetal-alcohol-syndrome/

So much pregnancy advice is vague.

[WhiteFeministWarMachine]

Gilead

[TheMotherlode]

Wow! Because drunk men do absolutely no harm in society do they

[Novelusername]

A person of childbearing age MUST NOT:

ride a bicycle
eat tiramisu
fly

[Totallydefeated]

It's because the harm alcohol does in pregnancy (much worse than other drugs even heroin and cocaine for example) is done before a woman knows she is pregnant. It's those 2 weeks before a missed period or positive test when the damage is done.

There should be more publicity about this.

Not true now we have very sensitive tests that can pick up a pregnancy by (or before) the day a period was due to arrive, when implantation has only just occurred. The damage, if it occurs, does tend to happen in the first trimester, but not before pregnancy is known about, usually.

I do take your point that more needs to be known about the teratogenic effects of alcohol more generally, though, but clearly not in this revoltingly misogynistic way that values women solely as breeding vessels with no autonomy of their own.

[Bloodyfuckit]

@Winkywonkydonkey

Well if that doesn't drive women to identify as transmen I don't know what will!

😁