GENDERED TERMS
AGENDER/GENDER-INCLUSIVE TERMS
Mom/Dad/Mother/Father/ Mama/ Papa
Sounds Like: How’s mom feeling today?
Sounds Like: I need Dad to step out of the room for the epidural.
Sounds like: After birth, you will be moved to the “Mother and Baby” Unit
Sounds like: Who is the Father of the child?
Chosen name of the person, Patient, Birth/Non-Birth Parent, Gestational/Bio/Genetic Parent, MaPa/PaM(a), Guardian, Caregiver, Let the child create a unique parent name
Sounds like: Hello, (Name), how are you feeling today?
Sounds like: Who is the parent that will be giving birth?
Sounds like: Please specify on the birth certificate who was the gestational parent.
Husband/Wife
Sounds like: Will your husband be here for the ultrasound?
Sounds like: Is your wife the caregiver?
Coach or Birth Partner, Parent, Partner, Spouse, Significant Other, Co-parent(s), Endearment Terms (when appropriate, i.e. honey, sweetie , love, etc.),
Sounds like: Will any co-parents be present for prenatal office visits?
Sounds like: Sometimes it helps if a birth partner can offer the person in labor a massage
Boy/Girl/Daughter/Son
Sounds like: Is your daughter sleeping well?
Sounds like: We need a postnatal assessment on baby boy so-and-so.
Sounds like: It’s a girl!!!l
(your) Baby, Infant, Neonate, Child, Sweet One, Kid, Baby, Newborn, Nursling, (only when talking about a nursing baby/child in the context of nursing)
Sounds like: Congratulations! You birthed a beautiful baby!
Sounds like: Their infant needs to be taken to the NICU for vitals.
Sounds like: How’s your little nursling doing? Do you need any help with swaddling or feeding your infant?
Maternity/Paternity
Sounds like: Are you still on maternity leave? Cute Maternity clothes!
Sounds like: Where is the Maternity Unit?
Parenthood, Natality, Parental, Pregnancy, Gestation, Gestating, Creating
Sounds like: Are you still on parental leave? I like your outfit! How is your pregnancy going, Alex?
Sounds like: After birth we will move the baby and parents to the Postpartum Unit.
Vagina/Penis, Uterus, Cervix Prostate (etc.)
(spoken in manner that includes gender identity labels.)
Sounds like: We may need to do a pelvic exam to collect cells from your cervix, are you ok with that?
(does not) Sound like: (Mis/Degendering)
Her vagina is stretching during the birth, ( when client is a male-identified person/ trans man)
Genitals, Patient-named (i.e. “front hole” for TG man, etc.)
Sounds like: What would you prefer for me to call your genitals when we are speaking about them during this time?
(or)
Sounds like: How would you like me to refer to your body or anatomy?
Aunt/Uncle
Parent’s sibling, Cousin (Often used if close in age.) Untie/Untey, Auntcle, etc.
Grandma/Grandpa
Grandparent/s
Niece/Nephew
Nibling , Neifling, Sibkid, Cousin (Often used if close in age.)
Sounds like: Do you want your niblings present for the birth of their cousin?
Brother/Sister
Sibling, womb-mate (for twinsies)
Boyfriend/Girlfriend
Sounds like: Are you and your girlfriend considering birth control?
Partner, Significant Other, Lover, Datemate, Nbfriend (Nonbinary-Friend, also spelled ‘Enbyfriend’) , Special Someone/Someperson, Sweetheart, Person I’m seeing/dating/etc.
Sounds like: Are you and any significant others considering cord banking?
Sounds like: How do you and your datemate /s define harm reduction or safer sex?
Breastfeeding
(Note: some people feel that this is a word which has traditionally gendered bodies. Ex: popular culture, misgendering of TG men’s bodies in medical practice. People who believe that this word in gendered might argue that “chest” is a more appropriate term instead of breast since ”chest” is a less culturally-charged word.)
Sounds like: Do you do breast exams on yourself regularly?
Sounds like: Does breastfeeding feel comfortable?
Breast/ Chest/ Pec-feeding
Nursing, Milk Sharing, Pumping
(Note:Some people believe that the word “breast” IS gender neutral. Ex: breast cancer in all bodies, biblical, poetic, medical references)
Sounds like: I would like to know what medicinal supplements that I can take to induce lactation so that I can breast/chestfeed .
Sounds like: Does nursing feel comfortable?
Sounds like: I see a note in your chart that you would like some resources around milk sharing.
Sounds like: We have a private room for employees who need to pump milk.
Midwife/ Midwifery/ Doula (/x)
Sounds like: I am in school for Midwifery.
Sounds like: We want a midwife to birth our son.
Mid-person, Birthing Worker, Birth Work, Labour Coach, Birth Assistant, Doulx
Notes:
Sounds like: If you need a reference, I organize with a network of birth workers.
Sounds like: I will be accompanying this person as their Doulx.
He /Him/His or She/Her/Hers
Sounds like: How are her contractions progressing?
Sounds like: (Assuming “he” when gender or sex is not known, as frequently taught in English). We still don’t know his sex yet.
Sounds Like: (Assuming gender based on profession). (Nurse) Is she enjoying her career? (Doctor) Is he going to check up on me soon?
Sounds Like: (Assuming gender based on first name) “ The baby’s name is Alex.” “That’s a lovely name for him.”
Sounds like: (Assuming gender based on genitalia / organs) She needs a caesarean section, STAT.
Ask patients for their gende r pronouns. There are many possibilities .
They/Them/Theirs
Ze/Hir/Hirs
Ze/Zir/Zirs
It
(link above gives many examples)
Sounds like: How are zir contractions progressing?
Sounds like: Will you introduce me to the people you brought with you to the office today?
Sounds like: Good morning, I’ll be your nurse today. I use they/them pronouns. How would you like me to address you?