A group of clinicians has warned NHS bosses that they must remove “dehumanising” language such as “people with a vagina” and reinstate sex-based language in its cancer and pregnancy web pages.
The NHS had “desexed” some of its main sites on female medical conditions by using “inclusive” gender-neutral language that excludes the words “female” and “women.”
CAN-SG, a multidisciplinary group of clinicians, said they are concerned about changes to the NHS website which have removed “accurate and respectful terminology about women’s health.”
‘Inclusive’
According to NHS Digital’s response to the group’s Freedom of Information (FOI) requests, recent changes in language stem from a desire to be “inclusive.”“This includes improving the structure of the pages, writing in plain English and improving the inclusivity of the language we use. All such changes are made with the intention of helping make sure people get the correct clinical information,” NHS Digital wrote in its response.
CAN-SG claims that inclusivity has taken “precedence over integrity, evidence-based care, and clarity of communication.”
It said that the removal of sex-based language in health care communication is discriminatory and “harms women and undermines health outcomes.”
It added that the move could leave the NHS open to legal challenge and that full impact assessments should have been done before any changes to communications.
‘Considered Misogynistic’
The group pointed out, however, that the word “men” is used liberally, with a video on prostate cancer saying, “Prostate cancer is the commonest cancer in men in the UK.”It said that in contrast, pages on the three main gynaecological cancers—cervical, uterine, and ovarian—have “virtually eliminated” the words “woman” and “women” and there are no corresponding videos. Many of the pages on pregnancy and miscarriage have replaced the words “woman” and “women” with “you,” “people,” or “person.”
“NHS.UK healthcare messaging shows a lack of concern for women, is disrespectful, and insults women,” wrote the group.
“Importantly, it is considered misogynistic by many,” it added.
The letter stated that “language such as ‘people with a vagina’ is dehumanising and reduces women and girls to body parts, such as genitalia.”
“Given many women already feel ashamed about their bodies, such messaging perpetuates such negative attitudes,” it added.
‘Sex Matters’
Last year, the then-Health Secretary Sajid Javid said that “sex matters” when it was found that main NHS web pages on ovarian, womb, and cervical cancers no longer referred to women.For example, the womb cancer page used to say: “Cancer of the womb (uterine or endometrial cancer) is a common cancer that affects the female reproductive system. It’s more common in women who have been through the menopause.”
That was changed to “most womb cancer usually starts in the lining of the womb (endometrium), this is also known as endometrial cancer.”
“It’s important that when messaging is given to people for cancers that words like women and men are used,” Javid said at the time.
“I know there’s some sensitivity around this language, but we have to use common sense and use the right language so that we can give people the best possible patient care,” he added.
An NHS spokesman told The Epoch Times by email, “The NHS website provides information for everyone and we keep the pages under continual review to ensure they use language that is inclusive, respectful, and relevant to the people reading it.”
“The word ‘woman’ remains vital to health care information about women’s health and this issue is currently under review,” he added.
