We began our protest campaign in August to let you know that HSE has failed women of Ireland by removing the word “women” in their Cervical Screening materials.
We asked you to email them and let them know that this decision was unacceptable. In October, the National Women’s Council of Ireland agreed that this was a mistake on HSE’s part.
Today is the last day for you to email HSE to amend the wording in their cervical screening materials from “anyone with a cervix” or “person with a cervix” to “WOMEN”.
We’ve had enough of this dehumanising language. Women can’t identify out of sex-specific health issues and it is unacceptable to be referred to by our body parts.
Email them at: info@cervicalcheck.ie
Feel free to use below template.
To Whom It May Concern:
I’m writing to ask you to insert the word “women” or “woman” in your cervical screening materials online and in print.
I am extremely disappointed at the decision you’ve made to remove the word WOMAN/WOMEN in your screening materials because you have made a decision that put women’s health at risk.
Not everyone knows what a cervix is so the phrase “anyone with a cervix” is not only dehumanising to women as you’ve managed to reduce us to our anatomy but also classist and racist as you’ve forgotten to consider that there are women who may not be educated enough to know the term “cervix” and that there are women whose first language isn’t English.
According to Dr Peter Boylan, who is also former chair of the Institute of Obstetricians and Gynecologists, the new wording is not clear for the general population and is confusing.
“There are a lot of people for example who might not understand what a cervix is, but they do understand what a woman is”, he says.
When asked in Newstalk if the materials should read ‘women and trans men’, Dr Boylan replied: “No – I think it’s simpler just to keep it with ‘woman’.
The whole point of this screening is to maximise the uptake of the screening for the prevention of cervical cancer. Gender identity has no role in this hence the word ‘woman’ is the most appropriate as this refers to issues only biological women can be at risk for.
I request that you amend this to reflect a clear and more accessible language. Identity politics shouldn’t have a place in healthcare. Sex bias in healthcare is real and this decision is just proof of that seeing as HSE didn’t change the wording in prostate screening materials to “anyone with a prostate”.
Thanks.
