The Word is Woman #42

Documenting the erasure of women from language and life.

Welcome to the Issue #42 of The Word is Woman, a weekly section of my substack where I document examples of the erasure of women from both language and public life.

For the past three years, ever since I spoke out about language changes in maternity such as ‘birthing people’, I have been sent hundreds of examples of convolutions of language in which the word woman is erased and replaced in the name of so-called ‘inclusivity’. Uterus owners, menstruators, non-men, bleeders, birthers, and even bodies with vaginas…the list of names we have been called and continue to be called is a seemingly endless catalogue of offence.

At the same time, we are seeing male people taking the place of women on sporting podiums and in public roles, and also being applauded as the ‘first woman’ to achieve a certain award or accomplishment, or the ‘best female’ or ‘woman of the year’ in their field.

The Word is Woman is a place to keep track.

So here is this week’s The Word is Woman for the week ending 27th June 2024.

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Hello hello and welcome to the 42nd edition of The Word is Woman. 42? Isn’t that the meaning of life, the universe and everything?!

And if that’s the case, then it explains why TWIW#42 is such a stonker of an issue, absolutely jam packed with the examples of erasure you love to hate every Friday!

In fact, the other reason it’s so packed is that last week TWIW missed a week because I wrote a special follow up piece on the BBC ‘trans women’s milk is as good as breast milk’ story, following their apology for misleading the public. You can read that here.

BBC admits their report on 'trans milk' misleading and inaccurate

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OK, let’s get started!

Many of you have been in touch about the paper about ‘gender inclusive language in midwifery’…ah…I believe we have some live footage of the authors whilst the work was in progress…

Yes it’s a complete word salad, and the absolute chef’s kiss moment is the table of ‘alternatives to exclusive language’. For example:

Don’t say woman- centred, say individualised…

Don’t say maternity, say perinatal services…

Don’t say women’s center, say perinatal care services….

(in fact don’t say center at all, we’re in Blighty old chap, it’s CENTRE I think you’ll find!)

OK it gets better, don’t say Matron say Executive Perinatal Lead, don’t say Sister say Senior Perinatal Lead, DON’T SAY MIDWIFE SAY LEAD PERINATAL PRACTITIONER

And don’t say gynecologist because gynae is woman in GREEK.

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This is an interesting stat shared by lactation consultant Lucy Webber.

77% of PARENTS went off sex after childbirth, did they?

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The Breastfeeding Network are doing the ‘additive language’ thing.

Thing is, people with a cervix ARE women - unless you change the meaning of the word woman.

And who does changing the meaning of the word woman serve?

Oh yes. Men.

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Speaking of people with a cervix…

Yes the Cardiff and Vale University Health Board had to make a choice between saving women’s lives from cancer and appeasing the trans lobby…guess what they chose.

Muddled stats and women at risk.

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Peaches Womb Cancer Trust also chose to obscure health stats, especially for womb cancer awareness month lol.

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Another health mystery, this one affecting ‘kids’.

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Um, er, why don’t we talk more openly about periods?! Like just SAY THE WORDS!! Let’s not have taboos any more, right?

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Also. STOP POLICING PEOPLE’S BODILY AUTONOMY ALREADY.

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And finally. Here’s a survey from Women’s Health Victoria in Australia all about ‘understanding and celebrating labia diversity’, and exploring the shame and stigma around this very intimate body part.

But…uh oh…

If you read the report, it is actually so weird how they talk about the number of ‘people’ who want to have surgery on their labias, for example, because of the role of online porn in creating shame and anxiety. Yet they don’t mention men / women / male / female AT ALL. So the nature of the problem is erased and everything is ‘neutralised’. How convenient! (for the porn watchers and shame creators, but not so much for the labia owners).

Then there are loads of celebrity opinions, but you wouldn’t think this would extend to males when it’s all about LABIAS, would you?

You’d be wrong.

Janelle is female (non binary) but I had to include her comment, which serves as the fluffer for Laverne’s.

Laverne Cox is male. With the greatest of respect and support for Laverne’s right to live as he wishes, what the heck does he know about labias?!

As much as it pains me though, you won’t find me saying I’d prefer it if Laverne didn’t exist - or even that I think he should shut up.

Doctor? Shouldn’t that be Tardis Practitioner?

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Let’s end on a high note, with graffiti spotted in Lismore, NSW, Australia. I pinky promise it wasn’t me!

Have a great weekend everyone, see you next week!

I could not keep painstakingly documenting this erasure without the support of paid subscribers. If you are one, thank you! If not, please consider signing up, you’ll get all kind of marvellous perks and my eternal gratitude. If you can’t afford it, please do take out a free sub so you never miss a post.

This substack is the ‘lite’ version at the moment because I’m working flat out on a book. It’s all about ultra processed food and women. It’s out next February but you can preorder it already!