The Lancet scientific journal should have apologized for calling women “bodies with vaginas”

The cover of the prestigious British scientific journal The Lancet September 1 caused a sensation in the medical field and in the general public by invoking his title “Body with vaginas” women and trans people. The harsh criticism received forced the editor of the publication, Richard horton, apologize publicly and provide a clarification in which he underlines that this is a medium “Strives to include women as much as possible” and transgender people.

The Lancet has been accused of sexism and dehumanization of women after its editors used for the cover the term that was written in an article titled “Display periods”. In truth, the editors’ attempt was the opposite: to include trans people, but they drew a flood of criticism.

The article was published on September 1 by Sophie davis and examine an exhibit that explores taboos and the history of menstruation in the Vagina Museum in London. The author uses the word “women”, but also uses the term “body with vaginas”. But, in truth, what has really bothered many readers and affiliates of The Lancet is its use on the cover, where it is written: “Historically, the anatomy and physiology of bodies with vaginas has been neglected.”

According to the Daily Mail, the decision to show the quote on the magazine’s cover has been criticized, and some academics have described it as “Insulting and abusive” and a “bad search for red flags”. Still others said they canceled their subscriptions to the peer-reviewed medical journal, which was founded in 1823.

“The Lancet I know strives to include all people as much as possible in its vision of health promotion. In that case, we have given the impression that we have dehumanized and marginalized women. Those who read The Lancet regularly will understand that this was never our intention. I apologize to our readers who were offended by the quote on the cover and the use of those same words in the review, ”Horton said in a note posted to the publication’s website.

The editor added: “I would like to stress that the health of transgender people it is an important dimension of modern health care, but one which remains neglected. Trans people face each other regularly to stigma, discrimination, exclusion and poor health, and they often find it difficult to access adequate medical care ”.

Explaining that the intent of the cover was the opposite of the reaction it generated, Horton said: The quote on the cover was a compelling call to empower women, as well as non-binary, trans and intersex people who have had their period, and to fight myths and taboos surrounding menstruation. The magazine, like the exhibition, places these myths and taboos in a historical context. The review calls for increased efforts to overcome the lack of knowledge and the stigma too often associated with menstruation. These are serious issues that require serious action. We encourage people to read the full review and support a growing movement against menstrual shame and menstrual poverty, ”he concluded.

Horton, who was editor-in-chief of The Lancet for over 25 years, thanked “all who responded to the words of this week’s Lancet cover and understand the strength of the sentiment it has generated.”

Among the reactions to the cover of The Lancet, the British doctor Madeleine Ni Dhalaigh, who works as a general practitioner, wrote on Twitter: “You can be inclusive without being insulting or abusive. How dare you dehumanize us with a statement like this? “

While David Curtis, Honorary Professor of Genetics at University College London, noted: “I just wrote to The Lancet telling them to remove me from their list of statistical reviewers, unsubscribe and never contact me about anything again.” “Absolutely inexcusable language to refer to women and girls.”

The feminist Claire Heuchan wrote: “This framing gives the impression of a coincidence that ‘bodies with vaginas’ have been neglected by medicine, as if they were not the product of gender-specific discrimination and oppression feminine. Medical misogyny exists, and the refusal to recognize women perpetuates it. Until (The Lancet) starts writing about ‘bodies with penises’, dehumanizing and neglecting specific research on men, I’m going to call it what it is: sexism. “

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