A controversy has erupted over guidance issued by James Paget University Hospital in Great Yarmouth, advising staff to avoid referring to babies as “born male or female”.
The hospital instead recommends using the phrase “assigned male/female at birth” to be more inclusive of the LGBTQ+ community.
This move has sparked fierce debate, with critics accusing the NHS of denying biological realities.
On GB News, author Emma Woolf condemned the guidance as “akin to child abuse”, arguing that the NHS should focus on pressing health issues rather than “woke nonsense”.
The incident has reignited discussions about gender identity policies in healthcare settings.
The hospital’s guidance, titled “Celebrating Pride”, includes a glossary of LGBTQ+ terms and discourages the use of phrases like “ladies and gentlemen” and gender-specific job titles.
A row broke out between Lee Anderson and Matthew Laza – and you can watch it above
GB NEWS
Staff are also advised to use gender-neutral pronouns such as “ze” or “zir” for certain individuals.
The document argues that binary language excludes those who do not identify as male or female.
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However, the guidance has faced criticism from various quarters. Reform UK MP Rupert Lowe called it “ludicrous” and “potentially dangerous”, while Professor Karol Sikora, a consultant oncologist, stated unequivocally that babies are born male or female, not assigned at birth.
An NHS hospital has sparked controversy
PA
Professor Karol Sikora, a leading specialist and consultant oncologist, took to social media platform X to refute the hospital’s guidance. He stated, “Having delivered multiple babies myself, I can fully assure you that they arrive already male or female.”
His comments were echoed by Rupert Lowe, MP for Great Yarmouth, who described the guidance as “bonkers”.
Helen Joyce, director of advocacy at Sex Matters, criticised the hospital for promoting “trans-activist language”.
A row broke out on GB News
GB NEWS
She called it “embarrassing” for a medical institution to suggest people are assigned a sex at birth rather than acknowledging it as “material reality”. The James Paget Hospital has not yet responded to these criticisms.
Matthew Laza, appearing on GB News, offered a nuanced perspective on the controversy.
While acknowledging that NHS managers “mean well” in their efforts to be inclusive of trans and gender-questioning individuals, Laza conceded that the guidance was “ridiculously over the top”.
He expressed doubt about its longevity, citing Labour MP Wes Streeting’s opposition to such measures. Laza emphasised the importance of the NHS supporting trans people, but his comments drew criticism from GB News presenter Lee Anderson.