Poster at the GP surgery

[FondOfOwls]

I recently went to register at a new GP surgery, due to moving house.
Then, upon leaving I noticed a huge, hand made poster stating 'Woman? Transman? Non binary?? Get your cervix checked'.
In general I don't mind this phrase when called for a smear, but it made me feel very uncomfortable-I have a DD6 who would no doubt question it if she noticed it.
I think I'd just tell her it's still women and rather tell her what cervix is, but AIBU to feel it is not appropriate? I'd also worry someone could challenge me if they heard me saying that to my DD.
Receptionist sporting a rainbow lanyard of course.
Feeling a bit disheartened as I spent HOURS filling in the paperwork for them, and the next nearest surgery is not very good and not very close.

This is terrifyingly true. And where health is concerned, ignorance kills people. Especially those who have already unknowingly damaged their health with wrong-sex hormones and unnecessary surgery.

Yes. I share OP’s concerns and I’m angry that children are being brought up to believe in a harmful ideology. These things must be discussed. Mumsnet is a major supporter of women, in allowing us freedom of speech.

i haven't. but to be honest they should be something along the lines of "men, transwomen and non-binary people" and "get your prostrate checked" because prostrate cancer is easily treatable (i think?) if detected early enough

There’s no universal prostate screening programme because repeated studies have shown it’s not medically indicated.

I had a quick look at NHS policy leading on from the AIBU thread about a similar poster.

The problem is that the NHS records people by 'gender identity', not sex.

This means that 'transmen' are recorded as men, and won't therefore be invited to smear tests.

The solution isn't posters, in surgeries or wherever, which may or may not be seen by the intended target audience. This is a scattergun, sticking plaster attempt to fix what should be very simple: record patients by sex.

There is, afaik, an additional field for 'gender identity' on patient records, which could be used in addition if people want to declare their identity.

Current NHS policy is dangerous and endangering trans patients, and additionally confusing and upsetting many other people.

so that will be why we don't see posters? And yet there were a whole series of ads on TV (maybe in magazines and online?) with Pele telling men to get their prostrate checked - so it does seem that they should.

https://www.mumsnet.com/talk/am_i_being_unreasonable/5123566-all-women-and-people-with-a-cervix-every-five-years-now-smear-test

'Changing your gender marker on your NHS records to male or female
You can do this at any time, by completing a change of details form and you do not have to have undergone any form of gender reassignment treatment. You must be aware that changing your gender will mean you will be allocated a new NHS number, and your pre-exisiting NHS number will no longer be accessible or be reversible.
Your new medical record will be completely blank, with none of your previous medical history, COVID vaccinations, medication etc. saved onto it.
If you use the NHS App you will need to set this up again in your new NHS identity.
If, having received a new medical record in a new gender identity, you decide to return to your previous gender identity, you will not be able to go back to your original NHS number. You will be issued with another new medical record and new NHS number.
...
Cancer screening tests
Unfortunately, currently national cancer screening test invitations are sent out based on the gender marker on your NHS records. This system is currently binary and only accepts a male or female gender marker on NHS medical notes. This is a national decision and out of our hands. If you wish to choose non-binary or another gender identity, we can add an alert to your notes, so we as a Practice know your gender identity. Importantly patients who have changed their gender marker on their NHS records may not be invited to some of these cancer screenings, meaning there is a risk of missing cancer.'

https://www.marsdenmg.nhs.uk/information-for-transgender-patients

Demonstrating or wearing a rainbow lanyard, badge etc, to me and many others, signals that gender will be given priority over sex.

This is not reassuring in a healthcare setting!

If I want to request a female healthcare practitioner, I don't want to be told that the nurse/Dr/ radiolographer is a woman when they actually (biologically) aren't.

The NHS has form for lying to women and even the police (during an investigation of rape carried out by a trans woman on an 'all female' ward) about this.

I realise that this isn't the thought process of everyone with a rainbow lanyard, but it's the thought process of many that do, and it makes me uncomfortable, that my wishes won't be respected and I'll be labelled 'transphobic' for not wanting a bloke to examine me intimately.

Why isn't my comfort / anxiety about medical procedures also of concern?

Do you think it would be OK for a nurse to wear a suffragette lanyard? If not, then by the same logic a rainbow one should also be unacceptable. Same rules should apply for everyone's beliefs, not just the special people.

I think the sign is fine though OP - it's clear who it refers to which is the main point, and it's not overtly offensive.

I wondered about this. It's like Darwinism in action

A six year old is unlikely to need routine smear tests when she's older: non-HPV cervical cancer is so rare that it's not worth the downsides of universal smear test screening.

I wondered if it was just me who read the NHS page as quite passive aggressive.

You may be right. When I read it my internal tone was 'impatience'.

However, the written word has different nuance for different people, sarcasm for instance is often missed.

Lots of surveys show that a frighteningly large proportion of women (generally around half) can’t identify where the cervix is or what it does. I can’t find the figures for this, but I believe it’s also a high proportion that don’t know they have a cervix at all. For example: https://metro.co.uk/2020/11/09/almost-50-of-women-dont-know-where-their-cervix-is-finds-study-13561743/amp/

Add in not speaking English as a first language, not being able to read well, learning difficulties, and indeed as has been mentioned upthread, misinformation given to young people stating that if you identity as trans you no longer need sex-specific screening, and you can see the need for very clear language in explaining who needs to participate in cervical screening. I think it’s an excellent poster.

'an excellent poster' - it's a sloppy solution to a problem that's been created unnecessarily.

Instead of letters going to all women, which is to say, all female patients, NHS policy has decided that anyone can claim to be the sex which they are not and will then be treated that way, even when this will risk their health.

So they attempt to sort this with a poster that will confuse many people, possibly upset many people, and most importantly, is only to be seen accidentally, which isn't effective communication.

Record patients by sex.

Hoe is blanking someone's medical records ever a good idea? This is going to harm trans people, not help them.

It's utterly ludicrous.

In what other circumstances would anyone have the option to delete their medical record?

It's so dangerous and you can bet that most people choosing to do it don't realise the ramifications.

Yes, it's mad.

I wonder in whose interests it might be to delete all medical history of people who identify as trans?

I doubt it’s intended to substitute for letters to patients. Rather, it’s a simple reminder to those who might have overlooked the letter, assumed it didn’t apply to them, or have been unable to understand it. As well as, as you say, that tiny number who might have unwisely had the sex marker on their medical records changed and therefore have not been sent a letter. And those whose letters got lost in the post. And so on…

some people with gender dysphoria are so convinced they are the opposite sex it can be dangerous. like the transman turning up to a&e in labour and not letting on until it was painfully, dangerously obvious, what was going on.

Sex markers should not be changed, but it should be possible to add a tag for transgender patients so that they receive all their correspondence addressed in an acceptable (to them) way.

if someone has changed their sex marker and dies or has problems arising from that should be banned from claiming compensation etc against the medics.

It's some years back now, but I recall discussions on here to the effect that the records are created wth an additional 'gender identity' field as an additive to 'sex', so the means is there to do exactly that.

For unfathomable reasons, the NHS decided to just record by GI instead.

chickens will come home to roost. We are already seeing that.

In what way?

I recall that case. Tragic and completely preventable because the patient need only have said "I'm trans and still have a uterus and ovaries" to trigger the questions and investigation needed to discover the pregnancy.

Sex markers should not be changed, but it should be possible to add a tag for transgender patients so that they receive all their correspondence addressed in an acceptable (to them) way.

I believe the tag is called "honorific" and already exists. Granted, if I saw a "Ms" of the male sex, I might do a double-take, so a sticky note at the top the records saying that this isn't an error might be wise.

I could read 'expectorate' on buses at 6, so it doesn't surprise me a six-year-old could read that. At least it mentions women, which some invites for cervical smears do not - which leaves many women not realising the test applies to them.