The Brighton NHS Trust is the first in the country to implement trans-inclusive language regulations for its maternity services. According to the BBC, the Brighton and Sussex University Hospitals Trust will now use gender-neutral language such as ‘chestfeeding’ and ‘birthing parent’ in its internal communications and meetings. The trust said it recognised the ‘challenges’ gender identity can bring to the pregnancy and birthing process, and hoped to make trans patients feel as comfortable as possible.
The Brighton and Sussex Maternity group shared a message of support for the gender diverse community in a tweet: “At BSUH we are proud to care for trans and non-binary people as birthing parents and co-parents, and to celebrate and affirm their journeys to parenthood…we recognise the importance of providing inclusive, respectful perinatal care to all pregnant women and people.” Many praised the trust for catering to the needs of trans and gender-diverse parents, with one Twitter user saying: “This is wonderful and needed. Thank you. And thank you for your bravery – I know the gender critical crowd is going to attack you for this, and seeing you stand up to them is important and inspiring.”
Another said: “This is great – everyone deserves to be treated with dignity & respect. Giving respect to one does not remove it from another.” Some have accused the NHS of ‘erasure’ by implementing trans-inclusive language, to which a Twitter user responded: “Really saddened by the amount of people commenting who supposedly identify as feminists yet take issue with this. Keep up the phenomenal work – persevering for a progressive & inclusive NHS. Such important & valuable work. Us real feminists are overjoyed.”
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