Former head of National Childbirth Trust supporting charity

Former head of the National Childbirth Trust signs an open letter supporting a pregnancy charity’s pledge to continue to use the word ‘women’

• Belinda Phipps is among over 1,200 signatories including leading doctors
• The letter follows a public statement by the British Pregnancy Advisory Service
• They said they would continue to use ‘women’ over gender neutral terms
• Some charities and hospitals are replacing words to avoid offending trans lobby 

Belinda Phipps spent 15 years at the National Childbirth Trust and has signed the open letter to support the use of the word ‘women’

A former head of the National Childbirth Trust has signed an open letter supporting a pregnancy charity’s pledge to continue to use the word ‘women’.

Belinda Phipps, who spent 15 years at the NCT, Britain’s largest parenting charity, is among more than 1,200 signatories including members of the House of Lords, leading doctors, midwives and academics.

The letter follows a public statement by the British Pregnancy Advisory Service (BPAS) last month that it would continue to use the word ‘women’ in its campaigns despite some charities and hospitals deciding to replace the words ‘mother’ and ‘woman’ with gender neutral terms to avoid offending the trans lobby.

The letter, addressed to the BPAS board and senior management team, expresses support for its stance, adding: ‘For many women the words ‘mother’, and ‘woman’ hold important value and status and they do not wish to see ‘gender neutralised’ i.e. de-sexed language, in particular in areas of reproductive healthcare.

The letter follows a public statement by the British Pregnancy Advisory Service last month that it would continue to use the word ‘women’ in its campaigns

‘It is possible to treat marginalised groups with respect and dignity, and offer individualised care in which people are referred to as they wish, without changing language at population level.’

But some signatories have chosen to withhold their names for fear of being targeted by transgender activists or of losing their jobs due to their views.

One antenatal teacher wrote: ‘… not safe to share my name, regrettably – risk to my paid role.’

An NHS paediatric consultant asked to remain anonymous ‘to avoid being hounded out of my career’. Other signatories who asked not to be named included NHS psychologists and university academics.

Childbirth campaigner and author Milli Hill, who has fallen victim to online trolling from ‘trans’ activists, said: ‘It’s telling that so many people chose to sign without giving full details in order to remain anonymous. People who speak out – myself included – are made an example of and basically put in the pillory.’

Source: Read Full Article