The James Paget Hospital (JPH) ended up turning off comments below its Facebook message after being inundated by responses from the public pointing out that only women can get pregnant.
Rupert Lowe, the local MP, accused JPH officials of “woke hogwash” and said they risked undermining important healthcare messages by using misleading and “unscientific” language.
The Gorleston facility was previously dubbed ‘the hospital which does not understand childbirth’ over separate guidance which told people to stop saying babies were “born male or female” and instead say “assigned female/male at birth”.
James Paget University Hospital(Image: James Paget Hospital)
A screenshot of the James Paget University Hospital’s Facebook post(Image: Facebook)
The recent post on the JPH’s Facebook page outlines a new way in which expectant mothers can refer themselves to the hospital’s maternity services via a form on its website.
It says: “We’ve created a new way for women and people who are pregnant to refer themselves into our maternity services.”
The long statement then makes no other reference to “women” instead opting for “person”.
In response, one person wrote: “Only women can be pregnant so I don’t know who the ‘and people who are pregnant’ are.”
Another responded: “Out of curiosity, James Paget Hospital, who else apart from a woman can biologically get pregnant? Serious question I’m asking about your post.”
Among the comments in response to the James Paget University Hospital’s Facebook post(Image: Facebook)
Another said: “I’m no doctor but I’m sure it’s only women that can get pregnant.”
The hospital says it uses the phrase “people who are pregnant” so as not to exclude biological women who may identify as non-binary or as a men.
However, critics argue that the use of such language can lead to confusion in healthcare settings, because it encourages people not to use biologically precise phrases – like ‘women’ meaning public health messaging can be missed or undermined.
Mr Lowe, who represents Great Yarmouth, complained to the hospital about the language.
In response, Dr Shane Gordon, its managing director, defended the use of “inclusive terminology” to acknowledge “people who do not identify as being a woman who are pregnant”.
He added: “As an inclusive organisation, we stand by using this terminology when talking about our maternity and pregnancy support services, and we will continue to respect and care for all patients that use services at our hospital.”
Great Yarmouth MP Rupert Lowe(Image: )
But Mr Lowe said: “The James Paget is failing the people of Great Yarmouth.
“I have total respect for the frontline staff working for patients, but the leadership needs to re-evaluate its priorities.
“Men do not get pregnant. Obviously. I pushed the hospital leadership to reflect this undeniable biological fact in its communication to residents, and they refused.
“This woke hogwash needs to be eradicated from our language. It is degrading to women, the only people who can actually get pregnant.
“James Paget leadership needs to focus on treating patients in a timely and effective manner, moving away from this unscientific nonsense.”
READ MORE: The Norfolk NHS hospital that ‘doesn’t understand childbirth’
Mr Lowe clashed with the hospital last year after it produced the document telling people not to say babies were “born male or female”.
It claimed the phrase “assigned female/male at birth” instead “accurately depicts the situation of what happens at birth”.
The Progress Pride flag on display at the James Paget Hospital(Image: James Paget University Hospital)
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He also criticised the hospital for flying the Progress flag.
The banner features the colours of the transgender flag as well as the more traditional rainbow and critics – including many in the LGB community – say it promotes gender ideology: the idea that people have a so-called ‘gender identity’ that can take precedence over their biological sex.
Opponents say this poses a risk to women’s sex-based rights as well as vulnerable children by encouraging them to believe they can be born in the wrong body.