DISINFO: British children are deprived of “breast milk” and “mothers”
SUMMARY
British newborns are actually deprived of “breast milk” and “mothers”. In order not to offend “gender-neutral” patients, hospitals in Brighton and Sussex have introduced new terminology.
RESPONSE
This is a recurring pro-Kremlin disinformation narrative about the moral decay of Europe and propaganda of the morally corrupt West, and an over-interpretation of an instruction on inclusive language from the university hospitals of Brighton and Sussex. The instruction contains details on how to address non-binary and transgender people giving birth. The authors emphasise the necessity of an individual approach. The first point in the instructions to midwife is:
Treat people as individuals and uphold their dignity.
The instruction continues:
If we only use gender neutral language, we risk marginalising or erasing the experience of some of the women and people who use our services. We understand the fear of erasure, however marginalising other groups because they are rare will not improve care for women. We believe in human rights-based care and we can add inclusive language to our current language without subtracting anyone.