Planned Parenthood with a new and exciting story about what doulas do for “people”:

Doulas support many different types of people going through a range of life experiences — including death, gender transition, birth, and abortion. Some doulas have a specific focus, while others provide a range of care. But all doulas advocate for and support their clients in situations where they may feel alone, ignored, or dismissed.

Oh yeah? The rest of the world seems to think they’re assistants to women giving birth. They’re not medically trained, so they’re not midwives, they just do the supporty helpy hand-holdy stuff – for women giving birth. Not “people” transitioning, not people dying, just women giving birth. PP is talking as if they’re just giving us the facts, but actually they’re redefining the word without saying that’s what they’re doing.

They quote a “death doula” telling us what that is, then a “transition doula” telling us what that is, then indigenous doulas ditto, then finally actual doulas, which they call “birth doulas.”

What is a birth doula? 

Makina Table, MPH, CD (DTI) – she/her – Labor and Birth Doula

Birth doulas provide different types of support to pregnant people during the various stages of pregnancy such as the prenatal period, labor, and delivery.

Not doula not doula not doula, then actual doula but those are for “pregnant people.” It’s such elaborate erasure of women. First expand the job so that it “helps” everyone, then belatedly mention the actual job but pretend it’s not specific to women.

Doulas can also help reduce the impacts of racial bias, gender bias, and other types of inequity in health care settings. In many cases, particularly in Black, Latino, Indigenous, low-income, and/or LGBTQIA+ communities, we advocate for the pregnant person navigating a health care system that often discriminates against them or doesn’t meet their needs. We help ensure their voices are heard and that any medical information they get is clear and thorough. 

Really? While pretending that “people” give birth – that pregnancy and childbirth are not specific to women? I don’t see how people as confused as this can even know what medical information is, let alone helping ensure pregnant “people” get a clear and thorough version.