Book on periods referring to ‘people’ who have periods

[OhDear2200]

Is it me? Am I being over sensitive?

I got this book for my daughter and we were looking at it together and it dawned on me the words girl and woman are not used at all. I had to explain to her that it is girls who have periods not boys.

Made me livid that a book about periods does not even use the word girl!!!

It’s a shame as apart from this minor detail it’s a really good book.

That's fucking ridiculous.

No, it's not you.
This obfuscatory language is unhelpful.

Presumably point 1.4 refers to men though? So it makes sense to use the word people there.

But 1.3 is ridiculous and to write a book about periods and not mention women anywhere shows what kind of agenda they have - can you return it and not give them anymore of your money

It’s a book aimed at autistic girls (people???) so the use of language is particularly important when considering the audience is likely to be literal.

Oh god that's depressing. Does it use the words 'boy' or 'men'? That this elimination of women goes as far back as excluding young girls from being named in one of the rites of passage to womanhood is dreadful. I hope you find a better book for her, and at least you were able to tell her the truth

That makes it really clear for 9 year olds learning about puberty. The girl who doesn't start her periods wont realise it's a problem, thinking she's one of those who don't have them and the boy who has some genital bleeding will think it's all natural and he's a period person.

People are gone absolutely mad.

Too late for me and mine but doesn't MN take up this sort of thing. I read something good about when language becomes too complicated, people wont adhere to the changes. There may be a backlash at some point.

People who menstruate. This was challenged by JKR who was then vilified for apparently upsetting transwomen.

People who menstruate. This was challenged by JKR who was then vilified for apparently upsetting transwomen.

yes, and there appears to be a backlash, from right thinking women. Have faith.

What book is it?

@PinkyU

What book is it?

As I say it’s actually a really good book, will continue to use it with my daughter with my edits.

It is published by the same publisher as the oh so lovely Fox and Owl.

I would have thought that given the author is autistic she has specifically chosen the most comfortable language for her, or that she felt was most comfortable for her readers.

I think given the importance of the topic it would have perhaps been better if you’d read up a bit more on it and looked at excerpts to ensure it suited your parenting style.

@PinkyU

I would have thought that given the author is autistic she has specifically chosen the most comfortable language for her, or that she felt was most comfortable for her readers.

I think given the importance of the topic it would have perhaps been better if you’d read up a bit more on it and looked at excerpts to ensure it suited your parenting style.

As I’ve said it’s actually a really good book and I will continue to use it.

You’re right it is an important topic, when I bought it I had not entered the world of the whole issue of TRA, Gc etc so it did not even enter my consciousness.

I don’t think it’s unreasonable to expect a book on periods to mention women and girls.

As my daughter is autistic I want her to feel comfortable in her body as it makes the changes it does through puberty. Part of that comfort is being comfortable with being of the female sex.

No, it's not just you. This type of language makes things less clear, which does not aid comprehension, especially with children who have autism.

It's unfortunately a type of ideological positioning in a book about the female reproductive system that is now common amongst some groups - the audience being taught about an important fact of their life takes a backseat to the author signalling their belonging to an in-group.

I find this particularly disappointing in cases such as this, because it results in the spreading of misinformation, and as Thingybob says, sometimes even dangerous confusion about health issues.

For instance, it aids comprehension to say:

People who menstruate are female. Female people are called women and girls. They have a vagina, uterus, ovaries and fallopian tubes and together these are called the female reproductive system. And so on.

Exceptions to this can be covered in a later part of the book/at a later stage of the child's development. It's simply not good practice to write educational texts as if exceptions were the rule.

Robyn, the author, is autistic herself.

Sorry, cross post....

People who have wombs......yes......they're called woman!!

In a lot of ways, having female anatomy is unpleasant. I have found happiness in embracing the power of being female. The ability to grow and nurture a human being is nothing short of amazing. Tying that to a line of women who have done the same is important for me. Talking about people instead of woman feels like they are trying to rob us if our strength and history.

Talking about people instead of woman feels like they are trying to rob us if our strength and history.

They are. Divide and conquer. A strategy as old as time.

As my daughter is autistic I want her to feel comfortable in her body as it makes the changes it does through puberty. Part of that comfort is being comfortable with being of the female sex.

Perfectly expressed - so despite the disappointing shortcomings of this book, I'm sure you'll do a great job of that.

I would have thought that given the author is autistic she has specifically chosen the most comfortable language for her, or that she felt was most comfortable for her readers.

Seems like perhaps the first but not necessarily the second. It's not as though all autistic women and girls think exactly the same way.