Starker: Not only women have a cervix

[WildRunner]

This has made me cross.

Labour conference: Not right to say only women have a cervix, says Starmer www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-58698406

I'm about to go for my smear test. Any man who feels like a woman is welcome to have a speculum inserted into his non-existent cervix - as long as it isn't at the expense of appointments for biological women.

Bugger, wish I'd proofed that ... sorry!

@LizzieSiddal

Emma Barnett on Women's Hour was very good. She also spoke to Helen Lewis, who was brilliant on this. It’s the first 15 minutes of Women’s Hour.

Fab, will listen now

Yes Curious, there's all this talk of "inclusivity" and use of language which both excludes a number of groups with "protected characteristics" through this obscure fuzzy language, and so also causes safeguarding issues.

So all this "why are you scared of inclusivity?" crap is actively going against safeguarding.

@Feelingoktoday

'women, irrespective of how they identify'

But I’m not identifying!!! I am a women. My sex is a woman. I would never tick a box with that description.

That's why I suggested 'irrespective of....' - to include all women whether they have a gender identity of not.

or not

I'm holding Emma Barnett personally responsible for two weeks worth of poor Monday productivity now 🧐

Much to my delight...!

@ErrolTheDragon

There are other forms of wording, e.g. 'women, including transmen' or 'women, irrespective of how they identify'

The first is unambiguous bit likely to be considered unacceptable to reality deniers. The second would be interpreted rationally by most people as 'all females' but as 'women, transwomen and pips Bunce on a Pippa day' by the genderists.

I am no longer concerned about what's acceptable to reality deniers but yes, good point about the second suggestion.

@Ereshkigalangcleg

You've missed my exact point, of course you are a woman there is no doubt in your mind and my mind that it does not change your gender.

She's a woman because of her female sexed body, that's the only reason. Not because she feels she is one. Having female body parts removed does not change your sex and literally no one here thinks it does. You are being ridiculous.

"Gender" is a social construct based on sex stereotypes. Sex is material reality.

Thank you. I was too angry to trust myself to reply to that person's mealy mouthed response to my post last night.

I don't have a 'gender identity', and believe all concepts of gender to be wholly based on harmful stereotypes. I am a woman because of my sexed body alone.

Dammit I just confused Helen Lewis with Angela raynor - was thinking, bloody hell what's happened to Angela!

Nothing. Obvs. 🙄

Helen Lewis was fabulous on WH 👍

Oooh Emma Im loving you more each week!

The Scottish Labour MP Ian Murray on Woman's Hour explained at length that there were people other than women that have a cervix. He said it's technical language!

It's not technical, it's a belief. Listening to him, it's like hearing him earnestly say that technically Jesus is the son of God.

Hate the Tory "scum" if you like but they landed on the opposite side to these gullible fools on this subject.

Thanks for the link to WH.

The thing is, even women and transmen isn't enough for some. What about non-binary and gender fluid people? And all the other 100+ genders there apparently are. If you're going to be inclusive don't you need to list all of these genders? Otherwise someone might get left out.

The Scottish Labour MP Ian Murray on Woman's Hour explained at length that there were people other than women that have a cervix. He said it's technical language!

Emma's faux "I don't understand what you've just said" was comedy gold

@WarriorN

Oooh Emma Im loving you more each week!

She did great!

@ozzyteabiscuit

They're not suggesting transgender women who don't have a cervix go and have a smear test. That would be ridiculous. You seem to have misunderstood. They suggest merely saying 'individuals with a cervix' so as not to alienate transgender men who also have a cervix and therefore need to have cervical exams for their own safety. They're not taking away appointments from women just suggesting a change in the language used to be inclusive.

'Woman' has meant 'adult human female' (biological reference) for a very long time now. It's only recently that a small minority of people have attempted to wrestle away that meaning from women and change it completely.

Sorry, off topic, I think Emma Barnett asked for the play to become time for her to run her more news-y style talk show responding to current affairs impacting women.

There's definitely much more of this now.

Well technically I could say that all humans have 'a cervix', because the definition is 'a neck'.
But I would be a pedantic arse if I pretend that we don't know the word specifically refers to 'the cervix', part of the female reproductive organs.

There is no other commonly used word for 'the cervix'. 'The neck of the womb' refers to a larger part of the organ.

Gender is a social construct that should be decided by the individual.

@ozzyteabiscuit it is a social construct that is offensive and oppressive to women in particular. It should be fought against and its nefarious influence on society removed, for the good of everyone. Not enshrined in law or for those who oppose the oppression to be publicly attacked, humiliated, accused of killing people, etc. Stigmatised for fighting against their own oppression just because somebody else is in favour of it continuing.

This is the interests of women, men and trans people. Without these harmful stereotypes things would be much better for everyone except misogynists and I don't understand why that isn't obvious to some people.

There is no other commonly used word for 'the cervix'. 'The neck of the womb' refers to a larger part of the organ.

“Gebärmutterhals” is the German word for cervix and literally translates as “womb mother neck”.

@Franca123

Yep. Tory all the way. Never thought I'd say that. Wtaf is happening.

What's happening is you're becoming radicalised by all the transphobic shite on here. Disgusting.

Well, please do report any transphobic comments as the mods here are very strict.

Doesn't seem to be a cheese hole thread this one, funny that. 🧀

BECAUSE ITS NOT TRANSPHOBIC TO SAY ONLY WOMEN HAVE CERVIXES.

Next stop TRAs will be protesting outside schools and wanting to burn "transphobic" biology textbooks because science isn't inclusive enough.

@ozzyteabiscuit it is not inclusive language.
Its exclusive.
Medical information needs to be simple and clear or it makes it much harder for women with learning disabilities, Deaf women and women with English as a second language to access health care.
Women with LDs, as a group, have a life expectancy of 30 years less than those without. This is partly down to poor uptake of screening and other health opportunities.
Your average TM is educated, white and middle class. Please do not tell me that a female with short hair who wears trousers and calls themselves Luke is more vulnerable than a woman with LDs.
I am not having it and I am sick of hearing it.

Medical information needs to be simple and clear

It also needs to be this for medical emergencies.
A&E doctors need to know straight away if someone if male or female, not what their gender identity is.
Fortunately, it's not hard for them to tell from just looking.