New mum Sall Grover calls out Australian government form after it described her as 'birthing parent'
By April Glover|
A new mum has taken aim at an Australian government health form after it referred to mothers as "birthing parents".
NSW podcaster Sall Grover, who gave birth to her daughter Isabelle last week at Gold Coast University Hospital, blasted the "alienating" term, which she noticed on official Medicare paperwork.
Taking to Twitter to air her grievances, Grover pointed out the form asked for the "birthing parent's full name" in one box and "birthing parent's signature" in another, instead of the word "mother".
READ MORE: Woman harassed on street responds to accusations she 'invited' the unwanted attention
READ MORE: Melania Trump attends funeral of husband Donald's first wife Ivana Trump
"Attention women in Australia: On the form to put our newborn baby on our Medicare card, we are referred to as 'birthing parent," Grover wrote.?
"Enough is enough. This absolute bull--- is exclusionary, alienating and derogatory towards every woman wants to be and is called 'mother'."
Grover went on to compare the situation to the dystopian series The Handmaid's Tale and said she was offended by the absence of the word "mother".
She also told followers she scratched out the name "birthing parent" and wrote "mother" in an act of defiance.
"Having to sign my name next to the title 'birthing parent' on a government form is just too close to a Handmaid's Tale dystopia for me to feel relaxed & 'inclusive' to be honest," she continued.
"I'm quite apprehensive of anyone who is happy to be called 'birthing parent' on a government form."
Some of Grover's Twitter followers, however, were not impressed with her complaints.
Several people pointed out the use of the term "birthing parent" does not mean she couldn't refer to herself as a "mother".
"Your kid will call you mother, as will countless other people. One form that uses inclusive language is not erasing you/stealing your rights/whatever other nonsense you're suggesting," one person said. "Why is it ok to alienate other groups to keep you happy?"
"It's just a form," another added. "Are you less of a mother because of a form that you could have seen just once, but chose to immortalise in your tweet?"
READ MORE: Letter reveals truth behind Meghan's magazine 'fall-out'
Speaking on the Today Show, Grover said the form was an example of the "erosion of women's rights".
"It's this dehumanising, ridiculous language that we've been expected to use," she explained.
"I think it's appalling, offensive and it's to please fringe activists and lobbyists who have made such a big deal over this sort of language, and come after us and call us bigots for not accepting it."
"If the word mother bothers you so much, then motherhood is going to be quite a shock isn't it?"
READ MORE: World's best restaurants for 2022 revealed
Service Australia, the federal government agency which provides the forms, said in a statement it had tested the gender-neutral language and received positive feedback.
"The term 'birthing parent' is being used in a consent form provided to parents participating in the Birth of a Child pilot," Services Australia general manager Hank Jongen said.?
"This language was tested before being trialled. New mother Sall Grover, with her new baby Isabelle, is not happy at having to sign a government form calling her a "Birthing Parent" instead of mother.
"We continue to review all aspects of the pilot in line with customer feedback, which has been positive to date."
For a daily dose of 9Honey, subscribe to our newsletter here.
