Am I am menstruator? GN language in a medical setting

[BlueBlazerBlack]

Hello everyone

This is my first post on feminism but I have commented before on other threads regarding the use of GN language. I think I have possibly found the worst example to date - worse even than "swimming vagina havers".

There is a female doctor (pronouns are she/her, so I think it's ok to call her 'female') who has launched a survey about the effects of the covid vaccines on the menstrual cycle, after experiencing changes in her period after receiving a covid vaccine.
twitter.com/KateClancy/status/1379847815636135941

The problem is, when inviting contributions to the survey, she refers to 'people who menstruate' or 'menstruators', and to be honest, when I saw this last night, I was baffled. Despite being a biological female, I am not currently a 'menstruator' (I am breastfeeding and on a type of contraception that stops periods. I also am less than a year postpartum, so that could be relevant).

The doctor later clarified that the survey she is compiling can, in fact, be filled in by anyone who has ever menstruated before, so it does include women who are lactating, or on contraception, peri- and postmenopausal women, transmen, etc.

Still though, I had a moment of utter confusion last night wondering whether any of these findings applied to me because I wouldn't call myself a "menstruator" at this particular time (or frankly, ever).

I understand the reasons for GN language in some settings, but it feels like in this case, it has created a whole load of confusion (see twitter replies). Moreover, in a medical setting, there is usually a requirement for language to be clear, concise and unambiguous - which this is not.

I mentioned this to my DP who said to comment on twitter, but there is no way I am going to open that can of words.

I've noticed since that other news outlets reporting on the survey have simply said "women".

Surely, GN wording should and could have been avoided in this case?

It absolutely does not.

You'd just hand 'woman' over to those who want to appropriate and colonise womanhood?

As Granny used to say "I want doesn't get". And in this case ' I want' can ask, scream, demand, tantrum as much as he likes - he doesn't get it.

@sashh

By not using the word with the legal definition ie 'woman' she is going to get information from the beetroot tampon up the bum blue haired brigade.

Yes exactly, given how many transwomen claim to have periods, and the fact that she’s excluding so many women who don’t deny their biology, the doctor is in real danger of having research that is completely useless. It’s already well established that covid affects males and females differently so the research could be so valuable. But she’s mainly going to get replies from men who identify as women and women on cross sex hormones whose menstrual cycles will be all to cock (pardon the pun ) anyway.

As is so often the case, Clancy is not a medical doctor. In fact, she doesn't even have a science degree.