Health officials in the UK ordered nurses at two hospitals to replace the term ‘breast milk’ with ‘human milk’, part of such an initial effort to be more inclusive for trans and non-binary parents.
The terms “breastfeeding” and “breast milk” should be changed to more “gendered” phrases in prenatal units of the Brighton and Sussex University Hospitals NHS Trust, the health center said in a 19-page document cited by Sky News Wednesday.
Instead, health professionals were advised to use the phrases “breast / breast milk”, “breastfeeding milk” and “human milk” to be more “inclusive of trans people and you would not be binary without excluding the language of women “. or maternity, ”the guidelines state.
The hospital system announced new language advice on Monday.
“Today we launch the first clinical and linguistic guidelines in the UK that support trans and non-binary parts,” the hospital system he tweeted. “We are proud to serve trans and non-binary people.”
Nurses were also urged to avoid the terms “mothers” and “women” on their own, unless requested in specific cases. Instead, they were asked to use gender-neutral terms, such as “parents” and “people,” according to the hospital system.
“As midwives and childbirth workers, we focus on improving access to and outcomes in health for marginalized and disadvantaged groups,” the hospital system said in a statement. “We are consciously using the words ‘women’ and ‘people’ together to make it clear that we are committed to working to address health inequalities for all those who use our services.”
But the changes “do not apply when discussing or caring for individuals with individual ability where language and documentation should reflect the individual’s gender identity,” the hospital system said.
On its website, the hospital system adds: “We recognize the additional challenges that gender identity can have in pregnancy, childbirth and child nutrition and recognize the importance of providing inclusive and respectful care to pregnant women and children. their families “.