NHS staff invitation to menopause workshop to people who menstruate!

[sunshineandhappy]

I received a generic email from the well being team at the nhs trust I am employed by inviting me to a managing menopause workshop which was open to 'people who menstruate or people who will go through the menopause'.
This was my reply I was disappointed to see the following phrase ‘those who menstruate or those who will go through the menopause ‘ in the below email. The correct phrase for the target audience should surely include the word women, even if the other phrasing needs to be used as well, as this clumsy phrasing, whilst appearing to be inclusive to a minority, is actually exclusive to the way the vast majority of the target audience for this seminar may feel. I do not want to be reduced to being a person who menstruates or a person who will go through the menopause, I am a woman, an adult human female. I hope my opinion will be considered in the spirit in which it is meant, as all groups matter, and all relevant individuals should be considered when generic emails are being sent to a large number of staff.'
We will wait to see whether I receive any response

Yes maybe the point is that women is on that page.

Why?

Because stuff aimed at men needs to be clear?

'people who menstruate or people who will go through the menopause''

' It is a complex area but the intention is always one that acts in a person’s best interest and accords them dignity and privacy.'

???????!!!!!

Ask them why they believe this language is a 'dignified' way to refer to women.

Point out that saying women who are going into menopause (I mean that's who it's aimed at and will be the vast majority of the interested people) come to room 506 in Tuesday at 2... Isn't very private?

Women don't tend to want to broadcast that they're perimenopausal.

I mean that privacy dignity thing is just an in you face fuck you. Quite frankly.

My response to the equality and diversity lead of the trust this morning.

hank you for your response. I am not sure I am fully clear what is going to happen moving forwards from this though, and would like some clarification.
You say There is no policy that says the word ‘women / woman’ cannot be used, we strongly recommend that using other categories and descriptors alongside to be inclusive. So how will we ensure that this more inclusive language is to be used?
There seems to be confusion about the definitions of sex vs gender. They are not the same thing in this context, and terminology, as you pointed out, is important.
The World Health Organisation describes sex as characteristics that are biologically defined, whereas gender is based on socially constructed features. They recognise that there are variations in how people experience gender based upon self-perception and expression, and how they behave. I feel that for all NHS communication, but particularly for communication based around healthcare which is more specifically aimed at one sex rather than both, the words male and female are important, and we should be mindful that it is a person’s sex which will determine some of their healthcare requirements.
A person’s gender ( if they feel they are defined by this, I personally am happy to be defined by my sex but I know this is not the same for everyone) does not affect their biology as far as how their healthcare should be provided, I am never going to require prostate screening for example, but regardless of how I identify, cervical screening and mammograms are appropriate tests for me.
I am more than happy for inclusive language to be used, but it is very important that the words women and men should not become taboo, and the lack of use of the word woman has an outcome of being exclusive, ie the exact opposite of what the nhs is trying to achieve. It also seems that there is more difficulty or reluctance to use the word ‘women’ than the word ‘men’ and I would ask you to explain why that should be?
I cannot believe that it is really so difficult to simply add the phrase ’women and’ to ‘those who menstruate or those who will go through the menopause ‘ as the target audience for the menopause workshop, and other similar workshops, and I will wait to see when this happens, and would be very interested in the reasoning if this does not happen in this trust. If as you say there is no policy to exclude the word woman, then surely this should simply be added to all such communication?

Good response.

Agree - excellent response OP

Brilliant response OP!

Very good response , I await the response

Excellent response, @sunshineandhappy

Totally reasonable, and following the guidelines they patronisingly didn't explain to you

If the language is to cover transgender men why can't it just say women and transgender men? Or is there some other category covered by it?

@Tal45 the language is being changed to accommodate transwomen, as their feelings are hurt when the word ‘woman’ is used in association with female biological processes, as this makes they feel like they aren’t women because they don’t have female biology.
They would rather the word woman is completely disconnected from biology, so that it doesn’t matter whether your a woman who menstruates or a woman with a penis!

Ahhh *you’re

Cracking response OP

are women transwomen invited for the AAA test
if not
why not

Beautiful reply! Well done

UDATE 😊😊 whilst I have had no acknowledgement from the head of equality diversity and inclusion, I have received the latest bulletin from the well-being team and the target audience is now 'women and those menstruate'
A small victory, but my well-being has definitely been boosted just by receiving that info 😊

An excellent update indeed. Brill.

Well done! An inspiring thread

Brilliant - well done OP.

Well done OP !!!

Congratulations, @sunshineandhappy

Now that is inclusive!

Excellent news!

woohooo well done OP!!!

I think that's what's called a quiet climbdown! Well done OP, they knew full well they were in the wrong.

@sunshineandhappy 'And she persisted' - well done you missus.