Medical Journal Lancet Calls Women 'Bodies With Vaginas,' Slammed for Sexism

Acclaimed British medical journal The Lancet has been drawing criticism for describing women as “bodies with vaginas" on its front page. In a purported attempt to be inclusive to trans people, the journal had made the statement on an article called ‘Periods on Display’, which explores the Vagina Museum in London. According to a report by Daily Mail Online, the writer of the Lancet article uses the term “women" but also the term “bodies with vaginas". The line that they quoted for the front page read: “Historically, the anatomy and physiology of bodies with vaginas have been neglected". The problem with Lancet’s description of womxn is, even if they did try to be trans-inclusionary, they involuntarily cut off transpeople from the definition of womxn with their misguided use of the language. Anyone with or without a vagina or identifying genitals assigned to the female sex, can identify as female, irrespective of their genitals. While many said that they would cancel their subscription to the journal, others termed the language inexcusable.

“Only just seen this. How completely awful. Just wrote the Lancet to tell them to take me off their list of statistical reviewers and cancel my subscription and never contact me about anything ever again. Absolutely inexcusable language to refer to women and girls," a Twitter user, Dave Curtis, wrote on the microblogging platform.

“Is there a more disrespectful, more demeaning way to refer to women? Wokeness in all its glory!

A quote on the cover from the prestigious medical journal, The Lancet, has triggered widespread outrage on social media for “dehumanizing” and “erasing” women," another academic tweeted.

“The Lancet is the Last Straw.The magazine’s supercilious,demeaning,deliberately inaccurate naming of women in examining in print one of our most delicate and defining natural processes has destroyed my innate respect for today’s medical leaders.I cannot believe them now," wrote another. Many alleged that this was an attempt to “cancel" women.

The comments under Lancet’s original post were flooded with criticism. One user wrote, “Are we just supposed to accept this? Are we extremist for objecting to women and girls being de-humanised. Are we really just “bodies with vaginas” to medical professionals?" Another said, “"Bodies with vaginas" is the language of serial killers. Do you also talk about “bodies with penises" or do you grant men the dignity of not being reduced to body parts?" From academics to journalists, many decried Lancet’s wording as dehumanising, demeaning and misogynistic.

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