Nhs Views Father As Offensive And Changes Documents To Partner Political Correctness Gone Mad

[gordiescotland1]

NHS Scotland has banned the use of the ward dad in a maternity handbook so as not to offend gay couples and replaced it by partner? It is ridiculous. What do others think

[DrFilth]

partner sounds better than test tube

[New Judge]

"...so the correct wording would be partner ? "

Er...no. To be pedantic the term "Dad" refers to the relationship one of the parents has with the child. The term "partner" refers to the relationship one partner has with the other. So the two terms are not interchangeable.

It's unfortunate for gay parents that children must have biological parents of opposite genders. But that's the way it is. No amount of fannying around with terms of endearment will alter that. I don't really know what terms could be used to replace either the father or the mother of children brought up by same-sex couples where one or both of the child's parents is missing. But "partner" does not fit the bill. Perhaps one of them could re-designate themselves either "Mum" or "Dad" as required.

[naomi24]

So in an effort not to offend one section of the community, they risk offending another. I agree with NJ. The terms 'father' and 'partner' are not interchangeable.

[dunnitall]

What NJ has said, totally! PC gone even more ridiculous than usual....where to next?

[inksplotter]

Surely "partner" here refers not to life partner, but to birthing partner. It may just be a friend, male or female, who is helping the mother.

[sp1814]

Actually, the idea of one section of the community being offended isn't quite right.

The pamphlet is being altered to reflect everyone and exclude no-one.

And here's another important point - lots of heterosexual couples refer to their other halves as partners.

Has anyone actually looked at the website?

This is how it reads:

This website is designed to be a comprehensive online resource for you and your partner from the decision to start trying for a baby, through pregnancy, labour and birth up until your baby is 12 months old.

So the audience for the site is the expectant parent.

Doesn't this seem a lot more clumsy:

This website is designed to be a comprehensive online resource for you and the father of your baby from the decision to start trying for a baby, through pregnancy, labour and birth up until your baby is 12 months old.

[sp1814]

By the way...one person complained about the inclusion of the word 'dad' and four complained about the exclusion.

So five people in all.

Could it be that the rest of those using this resource don't really mind, and it's simply another excuse for those who genuinely want to exclude gay people from being included in any way to cry "PC gone made"?

[dunnitall]

Sp..."you and your partner" .. The baby won't call its father its partner.... This all seems cracked to me or have I missed something?

[McMouse]

NHS Scotland.........such forward thinking really makes the case for a YES vote.

[sp1814]

dunnitall

The web resource is directed to the baby's parents, rather than the baby itself. Even the most gifted of babies don't have the English comprehension to understand government advisory sites, let alone the manual dexterity to operate laptops/desktops/tablet computers.

...so I assume the site is not for them.

The baby will call it's parents what is dictated within the family unit. This website isn't dictating what the parents call each other.

[Peter Pedant]

AOG again // And I have definitely read that Females are not 'DADS' neither can they make other females pregnant. //

um if you accept that Doctors can make mums pregnant ( IVF GIFT etc ) without er well going to bed with them, then I would have thought Females CAN make other females pregnant...

I was gonna get going with - if a female has a sp+rm sample in albumen then..... but this is a family thread

[dunnitall]

Thanks sp ..me confused? What's my name again!

[sp1814]

AOG

You wrote:

"It's unfortunate for gay parents that children must have biological parents of opposite genders."

But you're missing the point.

This web resource is not aimed at biological parents. It's raised at the people who will be raising the child, and this will usually, but not always, be the biological parents (eg. adoptive parents).

And there is no need for gay couples to adopt the mother / father.

[pixie373]

What about single mums? I think we should add in "you and your baby's male parent, but if you don't have one, don't worry, you are still a valuable person"?

[sp1814]

Hang on - I should have directed that last post to New Judge rather than AOG.

Apologies to AOG...I assume that I'm so used to disagreeing with you that 'muscle memory' must've set in...

[naomi24]

//lots of heterosexual couples refer to their other halves as partners.//

And lots don’t. My husband is not my partner – he’s my husband.

//This website is designed to be a comprehensive online resource for you and your partner from the decision to start trying for a baby,//

Perhaps they should just say 'you'. That can't offend anyone.

[FrogNog]

Just saying "you" may not offend but it does exclude.
I honestly cannot see anything offensive in the word partner and I would humbly suggest that if anyone does find the word partner offensive they need a sensitivity check.

[naomi24]

A sensitivity check? Why? Should married couples be expected to be content to undermine their legal status to suit other people?

[FrogNog]

A leaflet doesn't undermine anyone's legal status.

[naomi24]

And I can't see why 'you' excludes anyone. That can be read as referring to one person or to many. Sorted.