‘Women’ and ‘girls’ are cancelled... from advice about periods
REFERENCES to women and girls have been removed from an advice leaflet teaching young people about periods – sparking a new row about ‘woke’ language in education.
Instead, information from taxpayer-funded group Young Scot is aimed at ‘those of us that have both our ovaries and a womb’.
The charity, backed by the Scottish Government, fails to mention ‘girls’ or ‘females’ over several pages of advice on menstruation. The word ‘women’ is used once – when the leaflet says ‘it’s not just women that get periods’.
It refers to ‘half the world’s population’, ‘people’ and those with ‘both our ovaries and a womb’. In contrast, information for boys about their voice breaking says: ‘Getting a deep, manly voice is just another one of the changes that boys go through as they grow into men.’
Last night feminist critics said the advice prioritised gender ideology over girls’ health.
Susan Smith, a director of For Women Scotland, which campaigns for women’s sex-based rights, said: ‘Once again advice for girls is offensively dehumanising: while boys and men get the dignity of a name, girls and women are reduced to body parts.
‘Medical information should always be delivered in clear, understandable language to ensure it’s accessible to those who need it.
Information targeted at young girls which talks about people with “wombs” and “ovaries” risks alienating the demographic who most need to know the information. This is putting ideology over girls’ health.’
The row is the latest over ‘inclusive’ language in health information. Supporters say it ensures people whose gender identity is different from their biological sex do not feel excluded. Opponents say women are being ‘erased’ from information about their bodies.
Young Scot is funded mostly from the public purse. In 2021/22, it received a £975,000 Scottish Government grant to deliver activities including the provision of information for young people. It describes itself as Scotland’s ‘national youth information and citizenship charity’ for 11 to 26-year-olds and publishes advice on a range of subjects including puberty.
A periods page on its website says: ‘There’s a lot of stigma surrounding periods but there doesn’t have to be! It’s something that half the world’s population will have to deal with at some point in their life.’
In a section on ‘what are periods?’ the advice says: ‘A period is what happens every month to those of us that have both our ovaries and a womb.’
Information on free sanitary products says ‘anyone who menstruates can access products, including transgender men and non-binary individuals’, while the advice adds: ‘It’s not just women that get periods. Monthly periods can also be a reality for some trans men and non-binary people.’
Stephanie Davies-Arai, director and founder of the Transgender Trend parents’ group, said: ‘Apart from their right to have accurate information about their biology, the message to girls is that ‘‘girls’’ is a shameful word they shouldn’t use. ‘‘Men’’ is still used – it’s the word ‘‘women’’ that’s being erased.’
Yesterday a spokesman for Young Scot said: ‘We’ve worked in partnership with the Scottish Government to ensure we’re as inclusive as possible.’
‘Dehumanising – women reduced to body parts’