Why are we saying delivery when we mean birth?
Saying delivery turns our focus to the birth attendant rather than the birth-giver. But it’s the person who gives birth who does the lion’s share of the work; gestation, labor, birth and caring for the baby.
I believe we should recognize the birth-giver’s effort, power, and relationship to the baby by choosing to say BIRTH rather than delivery.
It is common to use the word delivery when talking about birth. We’ve done so for a long time; since Obstetricians were predominantly men, and birth-givers were always categorized as women. I’d like to make the case that this word choice is about the misattribution of power, often rooted in misogyny. Therefore, although I usually use gender-neutral language when talking about birth, in recognition of ALL people who have the capacity for pregnancy, please note my purposeful use of gendered language in this post.
Saying delivery turns our focus to the birth attendant rather than the birth-giver. But it’s the person who gives birth who does the lion’s share of the work; gestation, labor, birth and caring for the baby.
I believe we should recognize the birth-giver’s effort, power, and relationship to the baby by choosing to say BIRTH rather than delivery.
It is common to use the word delivery when talking about birth. We’ve done so for a long time; since Obstetricians were predominantly men, and birth-givers were always categorized as women. I’d like to make the case that this word choice is about the misattribution of power, often rooted in misogyny. Therefore, although I usually use gender-neutral language when talking about birth, in recognition of ALL people who have the capacity for pregnancy, please note my purposeful use of gendered language in this post.
The words we choose impact the stories we tell ourselves. Choosing to use the word deliver is inappropriate for birth and it distorts the story we tell.
RSS Feed