The Coalition has directed Health New Zealand to stop using the term “pregnant people” and instead use “women”.
Associate Health Minister Casey Costello wrote to interim chief executive Dr Dale Bramley telling the agency to use “clear language.”
“Recent documents that have reached my office from the Ministry of Health have referred to women as ‘pregnant people’, ‘people with a cervix’ or ‘individuals capable of childbearing’,” she said in the letter.
“Only women and people of the female sex can get pregnant and birth a child no matter how they identify.”
Victoria University senior lecturer and researcher Dr George Parker with expertise in LGBTQIA+ healthcare said the letter went against best practice.
“The memo is part of a broader push against equity initiatives in healthcare internationally and it is disappointing to see this picked up by politicians in Aotearoa.
“Roadblocking the use of inclusive language in Health New Zealand is against the findings of research commissioned by government agencies and is a step backwards for inclusive and equitable perinatal care.”
However, Costello pointed to inequities and bias in the health system, as well as conditions like endometriosis, as reasons why she thought Health NZ needed to use “sex-specific language”.
“It is important that we have clarity about the people we are referring to when talking about women’s health. Sex-specific language ensures that women know what health services they are entitled to and can access these easily, especially for those women with English as a second language.
“Clear language should be used in all documents and communications that refer to health issues specific to females.”
Photo Credit: RNZ
