‘Women’ and ‘girls’ left off NHS website about periods and replaced with gender neutral ‘everyone that bleeds’
THE words “women” and “girls” have been left off an NHS website about periods — and replaced with gender neutral terms like “everyone that bleeds”.
The Bloody Brilliant website does not mention females at all on its Period 101 page, instead saying the info is for “people who have periods” and “anyone with a uterus”.
Ex-Health Secretary Sajid Javid criticised the NHS earlier this year for de-sexing online health advice on topics such as menopause and ovarian cancer — and told staff to put references to women and girls back in.
Campaigner Milli Hill said: “Imagine how much effort it must have taken to create an entire website about periods without mentioning the word woman or girl.
"It is confusing, in particular if you are young, have low literacy or English as a second language.”
The NHS Wales Health Collaborative, which commissioned the website, said: “The use of language is consistent with similar materials, including Welsh Government publications, and following expert advice.”
