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Charlie Christie
ENGL 112 006
Jenn Payson
20 October 2024
Inclusive Language in Sexual and Reproductive Healthcare
Within the article “Welcoming Transgender and Nonbinary Patients”, Stroumsa and Wu
effectively use applications of logos, pathos, and ethos to persuade healthcare providers of the
importance of using inclusive language surrounding sexual and reproductive care, while also
addressing the health disparities faced by transgender and gender-diverse (TGD) populations.
Stroumsa and Wu indicate themselves as obstetrician-gynecologists, physicians with a
speciality in sexual and reproductive health, establishing credibility on the topic (585). The
authors employ a juxtaposition, noting that “compared with cisgender individuals, TGD
individuals suffer poorer health outcomes that largely stem from societal discrimination and
violence” (586). By supporting their claims with data from studies of reputable sources,
Stroumsa and Wu show their commitment to evidence-based arguments and demonstrate their
informed perspective, successfully building a strong foundation of ethos (587-588).
Stroumsa and Wu elicit pathos by identifying clients who may access Ob-Gyn services as
not just cisgender women, they may also be “transgender men (those assigned female at birth
who identify as men) and nonbinary people (those who do not identify as a man or a
woman)….[and] transgender women (those assigned male at birth who identify as women),”
appealing to the readers’ sense of inclusion and humanity (585). The authors note
“…transmasculine people often avoid seeking care for fear of discrimination that has included
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refusal of care, verbal harassment, and physical violence by staff” (585). Stroumsa and Wu
appeal to the readers sense of fairness and inclusion by stating, “we do not have to choose
between caring and advocating for cisgender women vs transgender and nonbinary people”
(587).
The authors efficiently appeal to logos by presenting statistics surrounding genderdiverse individuals in a straightforward manner. “Nearly 20% of (TGD) people have reported
being refused medical care because of their gender identity…and 23% reported avoiding
necessary medical care…for fear of discrimination” (Stroumsa and Wu, 586). The readers are
provided with a table outlining suggested language changes to the current practice to facilitate a
more inclusive healthcare environment (Stroumsa and Wu, 587). The authors emphasize the
overlap between the readers existing knowledge and the needs of TGD individuals, arguing that
“expanding our language to include gender-neutral terminology will highlight the ways in which
our own expertise already incorporates many of the needs of transgender and nonbinary people”
(587).
Stroumsa and Wu professionally articulate the implications of using inclusive language to
decrease barriers to accessing care for gender-diverse individuals, successfully applying ethos,
pathos, and logos to persuade readers to implement changes in their healthcare practices.
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Works Cited
Stroumsa, Daphna and Wu, Justine P. "Welcoming Transgender and Nonbinary Patients:
Expanding the Language of 'Women's Health'." American Journal of Obstetrics &
Gynecology, vol. 219, no. 6, Dec. 2018, pp. 585-588. doi:10.1016/j.ajog.2018.09.018.