Best practice in inclusive language is evolving and the SPN will strive to ensure it communicates as effectively and respectfully as possible with stakeholders. The language we use will reflect that most pregnant people identify as women. In practice this means that most commonly we will use the terms “woman” or “women” to refer to maternity service users in the information we produce. However, we also recognise diverse gender identities and will use gender neutral language as well. We believe that the unique language preferences of every individual could never be fully met within resources and communications intended for groups of people, and that means we won’t always use the preferred language for every person. We welcome feedback where you think we could improve.
Professional Guidance on Inclusive Language
Here are some examples of professional guidance on inclusive language from some of our strategic partners: