Petitions/Require the use of sexed language in government-funded health communications
StatusClosed
Opened1 Apr 2025
Closes1 Oct 2025
Government responseResponded
Parliamentary debateNot eligible
Milestones 10,000

Require the terms woman, girl and mother be used in their sexed meanings of adult female person, female child and female parent in government-funded healthcare groups and communications including policy and guidance documents, legislation and public health communications.

The Women's Health Strategy for England says sex-specific language should be used 'to communicate matters that relate to women’s and men’s individual health issues, and their different biological needs. However, that increasingly communications of all kinds related to women's health in the UK are being desexed. We believe this goes against well-established principles of health communication and risks confusion, inappropriate inclusion, and miscommunication and so undermines women's health and rights.

12,139Total signatures
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Government response

DHSC’s longstanding position is that health information should be as clear as possible and language should be used that appropriately reflects sex as defined in the Equality Act 2010.

Constituency engagement ranking

Chris Murray
1Chris Murray MP
Edinburgh East and Musselburgh
76
Siân Berry
2Siân Berry MP
Brighton Pavilion
72
Ian Murray
3Ian Murray MP
Edinburgh South
68
Tracy Gilbert
4Tracy Gilbert MP
Edinburgh North and Leith
64
Catherine West
5Catherine West MP
Hornsey and Friern Barnet
62
Brendan O'Hara
6Brendan O'Hara MP
Argyll, Bute and South Lochaber
60
Clive Lewis
7Clive Lewis MP
Norwich South
58
Dr Scott Arthur
8Dr Scott Arthur MP
Edinburgh South West
56
Christine Jardine
9Christine Jardine MP
Edinburgh West
56
Josh Fenton-Glynn
10Josh Fenton-Glynn MP
Calder Valley
52
Require the use of sexed language in government-funded health communications — Petitions