Pennsylvania proposes replacing female-specific terms in health code

A proposed overhaul of Pennsylvania’s health code includes changes to terminology that replace female-specific terms with gender-neutral language. According to a 502-page proposal announced on August 8, terms such as ‘pregnant woman’ and ‘mother of a newborn’ are being replaced with ‘pregnant or postpartum individual’ and ‘individual.’

State lawmaker Michele Brookes noted that these changes occur within a larger set of government mandates. The proposal also replaces the term ‘mother’ with ‘postpartum individual’ for women who have given birth to stillborn babies. Critics of the administration, led by Governor Josh Shapiro, argue the changes are an attempt to implement transgender-inclusive language at the expense of traditional biological terminology.