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Feminism: Sex and gender discussions

You’ve lost menopause now in the UK

61 replies

TheSandgroper · 28/06/2022 12:05

www.dailymail.co.uk/health/article-10957533/Now-NHS-quietly-removes-word-women-MENOPAUSE-page.html

OP posts:
achillestoes · 28/06/2022 20:01

Javid tweets: ‘Language matters. I have made clear that the word “woman” should not be removed from health pages. I have been assured that the changes highlighted below, as well as others, are being reversed.’

Artichokeleaves · 28/06/2022 20:05

Hurrah for Javid.

The push back is really needed now from government. Either we have law makers who enforce compliance with actual law, or we have the country run by people who just make stuff up.

AlisonDonut · 28/06/2022 20:53

OverTheRubicon · 28/06/2022 19:33

@AlisonDonut so in your assessment, if you're not fully aligned with the Gender Critical viewpoint, you can't support any part of it?

There are a ton of people - including me - who you may not agree with but could be helping make inroads with what you care about. Maybe in time more of us might come to your view. But it's such an echo chamber in this particular part of MN, that it feels like anyone who isn't ready to loudly denounce any poor soul who dares to state their pronouns when asked to by HR is actively unwelcome. You're not the only one despairing.

The gender critical viewpoint - is that sex exists.

That's it.

Live4weekend · 28/06/2022 21:23

I don't get why they just can't have links to pages.

Menopause- all about women.

If you are a transman going through menopause click here.

If you are non binary click here.

This will take you to a page with terminology that will validate you.

OverTheRubicon · 28/06/2022 21:28

@AlisonDonut It is not ok. Because there are two sexes. The belief in which, means you are Gender Critical.

And how would you define those sexes? Is it chromosomal? Having a uterus? Vagina or penis? Because there are people born with XY chromosomes and a uterus (Swyers) or XX and male genitalia (de la Chapelles). Where do they sit in the 2 sex world?

To be clear, I think it's ridiculous and actively dangerous to remove the word 'woman' from menopause or cervical cancer pages, and am very concerned by what is currently happening in women's sports and even more in women's changing rooms and more still in prisons.

However, the idea that there's an (unironically) binary simple solution to all this, doesn't align with biological reality let alone the society we currently live in. It's right to acknowledge that, alongside focussing messages on the 99% of people who would benefit from being addressed in a straightforward way.

Moreicecream · 28/06/2022 21:30

Really angry and have sent this feedback to: digital.nhs.uk/about-nhs-digital/tell-us-what-you-think-of-our-website
"To complain about the blatant sex discrimination against women on your website, which is probably already costing women their lives.
The description of ovarian cancer (a gynaecological cancer - it only affects women): "Anyone with ovaries can get ovarian cancer, but it mostly affects those over 50."
Do you imagine that all women (and their friends and families, who may notice symptoms) know what ovaries are? Including those for whom English is not their first language? You are wrong.
The description of testicular cancer, which only affects men: "Cancer of the testicle is 1 of the less common cancers, and tends to mostly affect men between 15 and 49 years of age."
No possibility of not understanding that it affects men, is there?
Stop putting women's lives at completely unnecessary risk. And stop showing that you care about men's lives but that women's lives are, in your view, valueless and can be sacrificed for woke points.
This can be seen over and over again on your website. Women are half of your service users. Why don't they matter to you?"

Live4weekend · 28/06/2022 21:31

Although I do wonder - if you are a child now whose gender identity has been validated and actively encouraged by your parents and school, how the fuc will you know what you are when you are older?

How will you know if its a prostate of a cervix you have?

I am joking a bit - but i don't think it's completely unfeasible.

And they are going to be a hell of a lot of law suits against parents / teachers / Dr's - 'you told me I was a girl and now I have prostate cancer'.

CandyLeBonBon · 28/06/2022 21:32

OverTheRubicon · 28/06/2022 21:28

@AlisonDonut It is not ok. Because there are two sexes. The belief in which, means you are Gender Critical.

And how would you define those sexes? Is it chromosomal? Having a uterus? Vagina or penis? Because there are people born with XY chromosomes and a uterus (Swyers) or XX and male genitalia (de la Chapelles). Where do they sit in the 2 sex world?

To be clear, I think it's ridiculous and actively dangerous to remove the word 'woman' from menopause or cervical cancer pages, and am very concerned by what is currently happening in women's sports and even more in women's changing rooms and more still in prisons.

However, the idea that there's an (unironically) binary simple solution to all this, doesn't align with biological reality let alone the society we currently live in. It's right to acknowledge that, alongside focussing messages on the 99% of people who would benefit from being addressed in a straightforward way.

Girls with Swyer syndrome have an XY chromosomal makeup (as boys normally do) instead of an XX chromosomal makeup (as girls normally do). Despite having the XY chromosomal makeup, girls with Swyer syndrome look female and have functional female genitalia and structures including a vagina, uterus and fallopian tubes.

Please please do not use people with DSDs as a gotcha. DSDs occur in either males or females and are NOT evidence of third or other sexes and it's horrendously offensive to suggest otherwise. I have been working with people who suffer with these conditions and they are heartily bloody sick of it.

sweetgrapes · 28/06/2022 21:52

All this is really not being done to benefit intersex people or people with DSD's.
Even stonewall has finally taken them out of the umbrella. Check out intersex in the glossary.

www.stonewall.org.uk/help-advice/faqs-and-glossary/list-lgbtq-terms

The word woman is being erased at stonewall's behest to prove inclusion for trans people - not intersex /DSD.

It's because transwomen have laid claim to the word woman - and tw do not have female biology. So anything to do with female biology has to be distanced from the word woman.

AlisonDonut · 28/06/2022 22:13

OverTheRubicon · 28/06/2022 21:28

@AlisonDonut It is not ok. Because there are two sexes. The belief in which, means you are Gender Critical.

And how would you define those sexes? Is it chromosomal? Having a uterus? Vagina or penis? Because there are people born with XY chromosomes and a uterus (Swyers) or XX and male genitalia (de la Chapelles). Where do they sit in the 2 sex world?

To be clear, I think it's ridiculous and actively dangerous to remove the word 'woman' from menopause or cervical cancer pages, and am very concerned by what is currently happening in women's sports and even more in women's changing rooms and more still in prisons.

However, the idea that there's an (unironically) binary simple solution to all this, doesn't align with biological reality let alone the society we currently live in. It's right to acknowledge that, alongside focussing messages on the 99% of people who would benefit from being addressed in a straightforward way.

Well.

There are not one sex. Otherwise - no babies.

There are not 3 sexes. There are not 4, 5 or 6 sexes.

There is not 2.5 sexes. Or 2.154 sexes.

Two sexes. Some abnormalities.

Like, humans, are bipeds. Two legs.

Some people are born with fewer, some with none, some with abnormalities. But we are still bipedal humans.

This is what I mean about despair, and you say we are the echo chamber?

Two sexes. No more, no less. That's it.

Abra1d1 · 28/06/2022 22:16

bellinisurge · 28/06/2022 16:51

There's a reason a lot of "GC" people are women going through the menopause. Some stupid little scrote with no life experience trying to tell women going through a major life changing biological process that biology doesn't matter. Dickwipes. And we are supposed to trust Our NHS with this biology denial shit.
It's never ejaculators and prostate havers.

Every time I have a hysteroscopyneeded because my menopausal female body won't play ballI have to remind myself that my femininity and womanhood is just an identity I have chosen and I have no particular right to be called a woman and given some dignity.

Yirk · 28/06/2022 22:23

Emailed...sick of this bull...

Flyingbytheseatofmypullups · 28/06/2022 22:28

Maybe I can now get the testosterone I’ve been declined (as a woman)?

Littlepaleale · 28/06/2022 23:03

the Fact ‘men’ is all over the prostate guidance says it all….

have posted a complaint via the nhs link and written to Sajid. Thanks for sharing links

AlisonDonut · 28/06/2022 23:28

Littlepaleale · 28/06/2022 23:03

the Fact ‘men’ is all over the prostate guidance says it all….

have posted a complaint via the nhs link and written to Sajid. Thanks for sharing links

They never seem to wrestle with the complicated sex is not a binary definitions when they are talking about men, that's for damn sure.

Complicated versus uncomplicated. Sounds like a binary to me.

Phobiaphobic · 28/06/2022 23:39

bellinisurge · 28/06/2022 16:51

There's a reason a lot of "GC" people are women going through the menopause. Some stupid little scrote with no life experience trying to tell women going through a major life changing biological process that biology doesn't matter. Dickwipes. And we are supposed to trust Our NHS with this biology denial shit.
It's never ejaculators and prostate havers.

Feeling every word of this.

Phobiaphobic · 28/06/2022 23:43

Also emailed Javid, but nothing like as eloquently as most of you.

HelenMirrensWeightedBlanket · 29/06/2022 00:02

FYI - it is more likely that this is a stylistic change than a political one. The gov.uk style guide (which covers pages on the nhs website) says:

”Address the user as ‘you’ where possible and avoid using gendered pronouns like ‘he’ and ‘she’. Content on the site often makes a direct appeal to citizens and businesses to get involved or take action: ‘You can contact HMRC by phone and email’ or ‘Pay your car tax’, for example.”

source: www.gov.uk/guidance/style-guide/a-to-z-of-gov-uk-style

If someone was reviewing these pages recently (which happens regularly), they will have been told to change ‘women’ to ‘you’ for this reason.

It’s far more likely that ‘male’ and ‘men’ will shortly be removed from the pages about testicular and prostate cancer (and be replaced with ‘you’), than it is that ‘women’ will be reinstated. The idea is to make the content speak more directly to the reader.

HelenMirrensWeightedBlanket · 29/06/2022 00:16

Link to gov.uk style guide didn’t work for some reason. It’s at www.gov.uk/guidance/style-guide (scroll down to ‘addressing the user’ under A)

pink85 · 29/06/2022 00:56

Funny how the prostate and testicular cancer pages still contain 'men' and the response I got when I complained about the NHS erasing the word woman was a load of guff. Its always us that are targeted Im so tired

Clymene · 29/06/2022 04:55

HelenMirrensWeightedBlanket · 29/06/2022 00:02

FYI - it is more likely that this is a stylistic change than a political one. The gov.uk style guide (which covers pages on the nhs website) says:

”Address the user as ‘you’ where possible and avoid using gendered pronouns like ‘he’ and ‘she’. Content on the site often makes a direct appeal to citizens and businesses to get involved or take action: ‘You can contact HMRC by phone and email’ or ‘Pay your car tax’, for example.”

source: www.gov.uk/guidance/style-guide/a-to-z-of-gov-uk-style

If someone was reviewing these pages recently (which happens regularly), they will have been told to change ‘women’ to ‘you’ for this reason.

It’s far more likely that ‘male’ and ‘men’ will shortly be removed from the pages about testicular and prostate cancer (and be replaced with ‘you’), than it is that ‘women’ will be reinstated. The idea is to make the content speak more directly to the reader.

I'm afraid that's bollocks.

The NHS prostate cancer pages were updated in October. It is virtually all in the first person (you) format. But it also uses male, brother, father and the word men appears 15 times.

The menopause pages do not mention women or female once until the very last page when there is a link to a video of 'women talking about the menopause'. That it

This is a deliberate policy.

Clymene · 29/06/2022 05:40

For those women not on Twitter, his tweet says: "Language matters. I have made clear that the word ‘woman’ should not be removed from key women’s health pages.

I have been assured that the changes highlighted below, as well as others, are being reversed."

With screenshots from the mail article

EaselArt · 29/06/2022 08:18

this is great news. We are supposed to vilify the right and yet on so many things they seem to stand up for individuals and women. Where is the left on this. It’s a shame that the Tories are also home to MPs like ReeseMogg who are definitely in politics to make money. Because the old style Tories are more like what the Lib Dems used to be like before they went TWAW

Musomama1 · 29/06/2022 08:43

Live4weekend · 28/06/2022 21:31

Although I do wonder - if you are a child now whose gender identity has been validated and actively encouraged by your parents and school, how the fuc will you know what you are when you are older?

How will you know if its a prostate of a cervix you have?

I am joking a bit - but i don't think it's completely unfeasible.

And they are going to be a hell of a lot of law suits against parents / teachers / Dr's - 'you told me I was a girl and now I have prostate cancer'.

Could happen, I've been fudging my age for years and now am befuddled when asked how old I am.