Vagina Museum’s gender neutral language ‘belittling’ to women

A MUSEUM dedicated to vaginas has provoked anger by claiming ovarian cancer is a disease that affects “mostly women”.

The London’s Vagina Museum lists among its aims acting “as a forum for feminism, women’s rights, LGBTQ+ and intersex people”. It also touts itself as “the world’s first bricks-and-mortar museum dedicated to the gynaecological anatomy”.

The museum tweeted that throughout ovarian cancer awareness month it would be using gender neutral language, adding: “While most people who get ovarian cancer are women, it can affect anyone with ovaries, including trans men, non-binary people and intersex people who have ovaries.” The tweet prompted a flood of replies from women who said the gender-neutral terms were immensely disrespectful” and “belittling”.

One user tweeted: “Only… women can get ovarian cancer though: important to be absolutely clear in our language when talking about life threatening female cancers, isn’t it?”

Others added: “I’ve lost a friend to ovarian cancer. You are mocking her and other women who have battled this women’s cancer” and “women get ovarian cancer because only women have ovaries”.

The museum has received two government grants totalling £72,671 and is currently shortlisted for a Being Social award by Arts Council England’s Digital Culture Network. The Vagina Museum was contacted for comment.