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

We appreciate it won’t suit everyone in the same way that saying they were for women won’t suit everyone

The word “women” won’t suit everyone going through the menopause? Who else do they think goes through it? And if you’re a woman who identifies as a trans man, can’t you identify yourself out of the menopause? Doesn’t the very fact that you acknowledge you’re going through the menopause cause you to acknowledge you’re a biological woman? Or are they seriously going with “men can go through the menopause too”?

@osbertthesyrianhamster

This nonsense seems to never end.

👌

If it was going to be properly inclusive of transmen, it should say:

“Are you going through menopause in your teens or twenties as a result of puberty blockers, testosterone, and the need for a hysterectomy from the intense pain of uterine contractions? You may be interested in our seminar!”

@sunshineandhappy

This is the reply!

'We know language can be an emotive subject and that gender language in particular has evolved a lot in recent times. We took advice from our Equality, Diversity and Inclusion specialists in relation to what terminology to use that reflected who these sessions were aimed at and had a lot of discussions before settling on this wording.

We appreciate it won’t suit everyone in the same way that saying they were for women won’t suit everyone - as indeed comments from staff reflected that when this was used previously.'

I've asked for my complaint to be referred to the equality diversity and inclusion specialists as I don't feel included by this.

Specialists" I bet they are on a huge income to come up with such bs too. Worlds gone mad

I have been following this thread since my first comment and it is still niggling me. We are more than just our body parts and our bodily functions and its incredibly reductive and dehumanising to refer to us this way.

Can anyone please explain to me how being called a menstruator is any less offensive than being called a bleeder or a spit arse?

Its fucking rude and totally oblivious to the way many women feel as they go through a hugely disruptive life change.

And by acknowledging that there would be a backlash from men, it acknowledges that the word “men” is not gendered language and is not widely accepted as gendered and defining of females also, otherwise why would anyone need to worry about a backlash?

The term woman isn't sex based language. It is gender. Female maybe however that is still uncomfortable for many. The changes are gradually being made to men however the backlash is going to be way worse so they are taking it step by step.

Don’t you mean ‘people with penises’? Or males?

Just to repeat the inconsistencies here for the people with vaginas and men who missed it

I hate it when women are reduced to this phrase 'people who menstruate'. I had a hysterectomy at 36 as a result of cervical cancer, and I don't menstruate.

This phrase highlights my sense of loss and makes me want to cry.

Appin I'm so sorry you went through that. I had a hysterectomy at 40 due to years of gynecological issues that were largely ignored by my GP and I have the response as you to this.

It completely ignores who we are are what we are going through. It would be really nice if these Diversity and Inclusion teams took 5 minutes to talk with women about how we wish to discuss these things.

If the word woman can no longer be used presumably that renders transwoman meaningless and we will have to refer to those formally know as tranwomen as people with penises.

That's like teaching children of one sex about how puberty happens to them.
Bit daft.
Why can't it be education for all?
Especially male GPs who can get slated on here for not really being helpful following a gynae issue.

Every single time the word man is used, correct it to person who ejaculates, people with penises, or people with one or two testicles.

@ASugarr - so the erosion of woman and female is widespread- yet men and male needs a softly softly approach to not offend? Maybe because when men and males find something offensive or non inclusive, they are listened to?

Well done for pushing back.

Appin - me too. I find it very difficult and very sad.

@sunshineandhappy

This is the reply!

'We know language can be an emotive subject and that gender language in particular has evolved a lot in recent times. We took advice from our Equality, Diversity and Inclusion specialists in relation to what terminology to use that reflected who these sessions were aimed at and had a lot of discussions before settling on this wording.

We appreciate it won’t suit everyone in the same way that saying they were for women won’t suit everyone - as indeed comments from staff reflected that when this was used previously.'

I've asked for my complaint to be referred to the equality diversity and inclusion specialists as I don't feel included by this.

Good for you, sunshineandhappy. Keep us updated on responses.

World's gone bloody mad.

Well done you! Does the Trust have a governing body you could potentially take this to if you want to keep escalating it? I am all for escalating these issues up and up and up. It's time women showed that we won't put up with this crap any more

@SaturdayRocks

Message deleted by MNHQ. Here's a link to our Talk Guidelines.

I asked for people who are insulting to be held accountable, not for threads to be deleted.

@BoreOfWhabylon

Good to hear from someone who actually wrote literature for the NHS for a living and knows what they are talking about.

🦡🌈🤍

The only way some people see "held accountable" is being removed. Erased. Not allowed an opinion. We don't want people seeing that and realising women aren't happy after all. Everything's fine. Move along.

'Held accountable' or phrases like 'consequence culture' is only used to make the people using it to erase women's voices sound more self righteous. Doesn't work on me sorry.

Every thread now it seems there's the post "woman doesn't mean what you think", muddying the waters, steering the conversation away, baiting it into an argument until MNHQ pulls the plug. You know exactly what you're doing.

I'll no longer be engaging with that.

And back to my question....

Do all transmen want to be literally defined by their uterus-ownership, and the fact that it sheds its lining once a month?