University’s ‘people with cervixes’ smear test is ‘lunacy’

THE University of Manchester has been accused of “replacing women” by inviting “people with cervixes” to take part in a study about smear tests.

Researchers from the university’s Division of Cancer Sciences urged people to take part in the study exploring “opinions on cervical screening” and the possibility of a self-service test in the future.

However, the wording has left feminist and LGB activists fearing that women are being excluded by the use of “highly politicised language”.

Milli Hill, a leading childbirth author and self-described “champion of female biology”, called it “lunacy”, saying: “Example after example gets sent to me where the word women gets replaced and it’s not in there at all.”

The LGB Alliance campaign group said that they feared some people could misinterpret the wording, which could lead to them being prevented from accessing “medical treatment that could well save their lives”.

Free speech champions have accused the researchers of “siding with trans rights activists” to the detriment of the university’s biologically female students.

Ms Hill said that the study’s wording was another example of “erasing the word woman and mother from day-today language”.

The Manchester Cancer Research Centre at the university declined to comment regarding the study.