Letter stressing the importance of the word woman in NHS communications

[2Rebecca]

Apologies if posted before. I couldn't see a post on it. Yesterday the Clinical Advisory Network on sex and Gender CAN-SG which I am involved in published an open letter to NHS chiefs in the UK stressing the reasons why the word woman should be retained in NHS campaigns and literature.
The letter is here can-sg.org/2023/02/23/open-letter-to-nhs-chiefs-the-importance-of-the-word-woman/ if anyone wants to see it

Signed, thank you OP.

I signed this too. It's fantastic.

Thank you for posting this. Have signed & added my profession.

It's bade enough now, but in the brave new world of "people with ovaries", how will young people-with-ovaries learn that they have ovaries?

Will biology lessons tell some young people that they have ovaries because they are ... er ... people with ovaries?

Signed

Yeah but what does that matter so long as less than 1% of the population doesn't have to face the reality of their biology?

🙄

Re "people with ovaries": I used to help teach histology to second year medical students. In a reproductive anatomy lab I once had a female student ask me, while looking at a slice of ovary, if only women had ovaries. She then checked with me that they had two. I mean, if female medical students were falling through the gaps 20 years ago can you imagine how confused the young people of today must be?

Thank you for doing this. Have signed.

Thanks OP. Just signed.

Signed 👍

Brilliant. So glad people are speaking out.

The fact that this letter is needed in 2023 is utterly depressing.

Has every organisation been captured?

Signed!

Signed and got various medical friends to do so (not that you have to be a medic to sign).

Signed - brilliant letter.

I'm outside the UK, but see the brilliant Stella O'Malley as one of those involved & felt it was ok for me to sign as well.

Thank you for sharing.

Signed and nhs job title included. Thanks for sharing

Brilliant, thanks for sharing.

Fantastic letter.
Thanks to all who worked on it 💐

(bump!)

Superb letter.
Thanks @2Rebecca well done doing the work on it and setting up the group.

Signed and shared.

Brilliant letter (signed as a patient) but so depressing that it's needed.

It seems from reading the research that has been done and the lack of evidence for the removal of the word woman that has been uncovered, that people with an agenda have been allowed to run amok in NHS communications teams. This is probably going to mean that some people will die because they simply don't understand the communications. It's truly unforgivable.

Thank you for posting this 2Rebbecca. I work in the Adult education sector and mostly work with families. There are so many adults who can't read well and I'm sure many people who are well educated don't realise how common it is for adults to not have the reading skills to read a formal letter from the hospital. Because not being able to read well is often seen as something shameful, it can be hard to ask someone to help. Quite often the children in the house might be the ones to read letters for parents.

Thanks for posting this.

Absolutely nuts we have to fight for recognition and a right for healthcare and healthcare messaging to address our biological needs.

Signed.

Signed - thanks for your work on this, OP.

I've signed

Signed and shared