# A Note About Language ##### Untangling Pain ---  --- ## tl;dr - I often say “women” and “female” when discussing hormones, menstrual cycles, and pain because of the biology and research this course covers. - I know sex and gender are not binary, and bodies and identities do not fit neatly into boxes. - Not everyone with a uterus or menstrual cycle is a woman, and my language cannot capture every experience. - My aim is never to exclude or erase anyone; this work is about your body, your experience, and what you need. - I hope this space feels safe and supportive, and that you take what resonates and leave what does not. > [!abstract]- Transcript > > So I just want to make a quick note about the language that I use. And I'm not on about my swearing in this point. > > In this course and in my writing, I often use the terms women and female when talking about things like hormones and menstrual cycle and obviously in this course pain. > > This is because much of the focus is on experiences of people with ovaries, with uteruses, and the hormonal fluctuations that we typically associate with cisgender females. > > It's also because most of the research that is out there is focused on cisgender females. But I want to put this out I deeply acknowledge that sex and gender are not binary. > > There was a quote that I saved when reading something written by Rachel Gross and she says, identity, chromosomes, genitalia, gonads and hormones rarely form a neat line. Bodies exist on a spectrum, a permutation of endless forms most beautiful. > > And I love this because I've come to realise that bodies and identities, they're not simple, they're not tidy, they're not organised into neat little boxes, they are messy and layered and diverse and they are beautifully unique, just like the people living in them. > > Not all people with uteruses, with vaginas, or menstrual cycles identify as women, and not all people with penises and testicles identify as men. And the fact is pain, hormones, and biology, they don't give a shit about boxes, about labels, and neither do I. > > This work is about you, your experience, your body, and what you need, no matter how you identify or what your journey looks like. > > While I use the terms like women and female, I use them for simplicity and clarity when discussing biology. > > But I want to emphasize that this language, it doesn't capture the full picture. > > My aim is never, ever to exclude anybody or erase anyone whose experience falls outside these definitions. > > We are navigating some complex and deeply personal topics together. And I want this space to feel safe and inclusive and supportive for everyone. > > So my hope is that you take what resonates, that you leave anything that doesn't, and that you feel empowered to take what you learn and shape it into something that works for you. > > I want to thank you for your understanding as I try my very best to navigate these nuanced topics and I'm just hoping I do so with care and respect. Next lesson → [[Untangling Pain – Module 1 Lesson 01 – Introduction, Goal & Caveat|Module 1 – Introduction, Goal & Caveat]] %% - [[I deeply acknowledge that sex and gender are not binary]] - [[bodies exist on a spectrum]] - [[While I use the terms like women and female – I use them for simplicity and clarity when discussing biology – never to exclude]] - [[I try and create spaces for people to feel safe and inclusive and supportive for everyone]] %%