A medical organization banned its staff from using “expectant mother” when referring to pregnant women, out of fear of offending transgenders.
The British Medical Association (BMA), a union for United Kingdom doctors, passed around a memo on how to use inoffensive phrases, reports The Telegraph Sunday.
Staff should use “pregnant people” instead of “expectant mother” so that transgender men and intersex people won’t be offended, the memo stated.
“Gender inequality is reflected in traditional ideas about the roles of women and men. Though they have shifted over time, the assumptions and stereotypes that underpin those ideas are often deeply-rooted,” the memo said.
A BMA spokesperson said that the guidelines are not for doctors, but for BMA staff.
“This document is produced by the BMA for BMA staff and representatives on promoting an inclusive workplace at the BMA, not in the NHS,” the spokesperson said. “This is not ‘official guidelines’ to doctors on how to treat or address patients.”
A women’s activist expressed outrage over the document, calling it “anti-women” and “anti-mother.”
“This will offend women up and down the country, and is an example of the majority of women being insulted for a tiny minority of people,” women’s rights activist Laura Perrins said.
The memo also includes other phrases that are deemed less offensive to use. “Older people”should be used instead of “elderly,”while “disabled lifts” need to be called “accessible lifts.”
The term “biological male or female” should be replaced with “assigned male or female,” according to the memo.
Send tips to amber@dailycallernewsfoundation.org.
All content created by the Daily Caller News Foundation, an independent and nonpartisan newswire service, is available without charge to any legitimate news publisher that can provide a large audience. All republished articles must include our logo, our reporter’s byline and their DCNF affiliation. For any questions about our guidelines or partnering with us, please contact licensing@dailycallernewsfoundation.org.