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

I love that they point out how "men" hasn't been taken out of correspondence aimed at men, proving it's ideological.

I love that they point out how "men" hasn't been taken out of correspondence aimed at men, proving it's ideological

I just hope the response is not a race to the bottom where the word man is then removed, making their advice equally as nonsensical and potentially putting more lives at risk.

Signed, thank you

Bumping this - over 4,000 signatures on this letter, the organisers are hoping to hit 5,000 before they submit it on Wednesday. Please share!

Signed. Thanks OP

For the last 10 years I've been a person-without-ovaries, but I'm pretty sure my chromosomes (and most associated heath risks) didn't change when they came out 🤦

I suspect most people who have signed this letter will also have signed the Equality Act petition, but jic

Please consider following the link below to sign and share, we need to get to 100k by 20th April.

www.mumsnet.com/talk/petitions_noticeboard/4722618-petition-to-update-the-equality-act-thread-2?page=26&reply=124224232

Signed. Thank you, it’s an excellent letter and I struggle to see how the NHS bods can argue with anything in it.

Signed and shared - thanks!

Yes, this.
signed, thank you for this.

Great letter!

I want to add that I was pregnant recently, my first time pregnant was 20 years ago and I recall being referred to as a mother while pregnant and in labour and then again on the post natal ward.

I never heard midwives use the word mother even once.

I am aware that midwives have been instructed not to use "mother" in case it offends.

Thank you for this excellent letter.
I have signed as a retired professional.

Is the letter being sent to Health Education England? They are delivering a stream of webinars/training on inclusive language and related topics which my hospital is lapping up.

twitter.com/nhs_healthedeng/status/1630631475774210048?s=46&t=VbXAeQjIZ-uhLquoQ0ovzA

I would be very interested to see the content of their intersex awareness campaign.

And the Asexual Pride

It never seems to cross anyone's mind that NOT using the word 'mother' can be incredibly offensive.

I suffered from infertility and miscarriage and being called mother was really important to me when I finally had my miracle baby. It helped heal a deep grief and was extremely important to me in my new 'identity' (and reality) as a mother.

That's an important point dimorphism. And one that is often overlooked.

Safe spaces? Ally guides? 😵‍💫
And fucking intersex again. Why?

Yes. I was so upset by a post from a charity, possibly Tommy’s, which referred to the importance of miscarriage support for “birthing parents”. I was not the “birthing parent” of the baby I lost. I was his mother.

I have a real problem with this concept of allies. Why are we framing inclusion through the language of war?

The idea that there are (morally weighted) sides is the least inclusive thing I can imagine. And absolutely shuts down any possibility of diversity.

Totally. I can't stand the term. Dramatic, silly and unhelpful.

In fact looking at the theme across a number of threads today, the general need appears to be for society to do some growing up and engaging of brain instead of mindlessly integrating whatever new term, fad or idea is dangled in front of them.

Fantastic letter. A model for all those protesting the removal of the words woman/women/female from health-related communication.

I think you are absolutely right.

Stopping to think about the implications of terms and particularly in importing them from one context to another seems to be unpopular.

I often find myself amazed at how any suggestion of thinking about things or questioning things is framed as ‘hatred’ and ‘bigotry’ these days.

It’s a great way of shutting down debate. People are so worried they’ll be ostracised they won’t question anything at all.

I think the promotion of "allies" is a mixture of forced teaming and providing a hand hold for those delicate ones who are unable to bring their support dig, their mother and their best friend to work with them.

It's playground games of 'be in my gang'. where you will definitely be the back up, the cannon fodder and the unpaid enablers, shitwork providers and PAs for the VIPs

No. I'm not bloody twelve any more.