A woman says she felt forced to resign from Doula UK after being labelled ‘transphobic’ for saying only women can give birth.
Lynsey McCarthy-Calvert was working for the charity – which provides women with ‘birth coaches’ to assist them during pregnancy and childbirth – when she criticised Cancer Research UK for dropping the word ‘woman’ from its messaging on smear tests.
Doula threatened to suspend McCarthy-Calvert if she did not remove her Facebook post, after 20 trans activists complained.
‘Adult human female’
Cancer Research had said that a smear test is “relevant for everyone aged 25-64 with a cervix”.
In response, McCarthy-Calvert posted a picture 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.”
She then commented that women “birth all the people”, but one person accused her of using “absolutely disgusting language”, adding: “you seem to be forgetting that not only women birth children”.
‘Ostracised’
Following a four-month investigation, Doula found McCarthy-Calvert had breached its policies by posting content that colleagues, clients and affiliates might find offensive.
The birth coach of six years said she was made to feel unwelcome by the organisation, and eventually quit.
She said: “I am angry and sad. 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 paralysed by not wanting to upset transgender rights activists. They have fallen over themselves to acquiesce to their demands.”