A U.K. childbirth coach quit her job after being disciplined for saying a woman is “an adult human female” and “women birth all the people.”
Lynsey McCarthy-Calvert, 45, was the spokesperson for Doula UK, an organization of people who support women through childbirth. She made the mistake of stating publicly what everyone throughout all but the last few years of human history has believed about the sexes, causing a protest from transgender activists that led to her removal as spokesperson and, ultimately, to her resignation.
According to the Daily Mail, “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.’”
McCarthy-Calvert, obviously miffed by this pandering to the transgender lobby, posted on Facebook a photograph of a scantily-clad woman with the caption “‘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.’”
“Women,” she continued, “birth all the people, make up half the population, but less than a third of the seats in the House of Commons are occupied by us.”
She also “claimed women were accused of transphobia more than men, arguing men were not ‘subjected to cries of bigotry and transphobia when they say they don’t want to have sex with a woman with a penis,’” reported the Mail.
For unapologetically declaring seemingly undeniable truths, McCarthy-Calvert was swiftly subjected to nasty responses from the transgender crowd. One Facebook follower, having accused her of using “absolutely disgusting language,” went on to say, “You seem to be forgetting that not only women birth children.” About 20 transgender activists penned a letter to Doula UK claiming McCarthy-Calvert had violated the organization’s policy stating that its members “shouldn’t post anything that our colleagues, clients and affiliates would find offensive.” McCarthy-Calvert’s post, they charged, had included “trans exclusionary comments,” including her assertion that a woman is “an adult human female.”
The U.K. is no place to be if one holds sensible sentiments such as McCarthy-Calvert’s. “Flora margarine stopped advertising on Mumsnet after the website was accused of being transphobic for hosting a wide range of views on transgender issues,” wrote the Mail. “And the makers of Always sanitary towels removed the female ‘Venus’ symbol from packaging after complaints from trans men.” Rugby referees have quit over policies allowing men to play in women’s leagues. Schoolgirls are refusing to use toilets that they have been forced to share with boys who claim to be girls. A Christian doctor was fired for refusing to use transgender pronouns. And at least one National Health Service trust is threatening to withhold treatment from people uttering “offensive” words, which almost certainly will include anything considered “transphobic.”
Thus, it comes as no surprise that Doula UK, upon receipt of the transgender activists’ letter, immediately removed McCarthy-Calvert from her position as the group’s spokesperson and, furthermore, launched a four-month investigation that concluded that McCarthy-Calvert had indeed flouted Doula UK’s guidelines. In addition, the board of directors threatened to suspend her if she did not delete her Facebook post. She complied — and then resigned.
“I am angry and sad,” she told the Mail. “I was effectively ostracized for saying I am a woman and so are my clients.”
“I have been very disappointed by Doula UK’s response,” she added. “The leadership are paralyzed by not wanting to upset transgender rights activists. They have fallen over themselves to acquiesce to their demands.”
Doula UK, naturally, denied that it had given in to the activists and that McCarthy-Calvert had been “in some way driven out of the organization.” Apparently, McCarthy-Calvert should have been content remaining in an organization that had forced her out of a prominent role and threatened her for stating facts.
A Doula UK spokesperson told the Mail, “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.”
But “welcoming and supportive” for whom?
Image: FatCamera via iStock / Getty Images Plus
