A birth coach has been ‘ostracised’ by her professional organization after transgender activists branded as offensive a Facebook post in which she said that only women can have babies.
Lynsey McCarthy-Calvert, 45, was forced to stand down as spokesperson for Doula UK and has since resigned altogether from the national organization for birth coaches. Her exit comes after transgender rights activists triggered an investigation in which Doula UK concluded her message breached its equality and diversity guidelines.
They did not expel the mother-of-four, who has been a doula – who provide continuous support during pregnancy – for six years, but threatened to suspend her unless she deleted the post.
Mrs. McCarthy-Calvert did so, but resigned believing Doula UK had ‘acquiesced’ to demands from a small number of activists and failed to stand up for women’s rights.
‘I am angry and sad,’ she said last night. ‘I was effectively ostracised for saying I am a woman and so are my clients.
‘I have been very disappointed by Doula UK’s response. The leadership are paralyzed by not wanting to upset transgender rights activists. They have fallen over themselves to acquiesce to their demands.’ The controversy comes after a series of recent victories for transgender activists.
Genesis 1:27 KJV – “So God created man in his own image, in the image of God created he him; male and female created he them.”
Flora margarine stopped advertising on Mumsnet after the website was accused of being transphobic for hosting a wide range of views on transgender issues. And the makers of Always sanitary towels removed the female ‘Venus’ symbol from packaging after complaints from trans men.
The Doula UK row started after Cancer Research UK dropped the word ‘women’ from its smear test campaign, instead saying screening was ‘relevant for everyone aged 25-64 with a cervix’.
In response, Mrs. McCarthy-Calvert posted a photograph on Facebook of a negligee-clad woman somersaulting underwater, with the wording: ‘I am not a “cervix owner” I am not a “menstruator” I am not a “feeling”. I am not defined by wearing a dress and lipstick. I am a woman: an adult human female.’
A Facebook follower accused her of using ‘absolutely disgusting language’, adding: ‘Also, you seem to be forgetting that not only women birth children.’
Days later, around 20 trans activists wrote a letter of complaint claiming Mrs. McCarthy-Calvert had ‘clearly’ breeched Doula UK policies stating that members ‘shouldn’t post anything that our colleagues, clients and affiliates would find offensive’.
They alleged that the post contained several ‘trans-exclusionary comments’ including the description of a woman as an ‘adult human female’.
Doula UK immediately withdrew Mrs. McCarthy-Calvert as spokesperson and, after a four-month investigation, its board of directors concluded in March the post ‘does breach Doula UK’s guidelines’.
Last night, Doula UK denied it had ‘acquiesced’ to activists or that Mrs. McCarthy-Calvert had been ‘in some way driven out of the organization’.
A spokesperson added: ‘We are proud to say that we seek to listen to the lived experience of marginalized groups and make changes – including changes to the language we use – if we believe it is necessary to make the Doula UK community more welcoming and supportive.’
Isaiah 5:20-21 KJV – “Woe unto them that call evil good, and good evil; that put darkness for light, and light for darkness; that put bitter for sweet, and sweet for bitter! Woe unto them that are wise in their own eyes, and prudent in their own sight!”
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