(En)Gendering the word 'midwife

Semantics, Etymology and Orientations

Bibliographic Data

ID3626898
AuthorsJohn Pendleton (0000-0002-6660-5681, University of Northampton, corresponding author)
Year2022
Volume31
Issue5
Pages560-572
Publication date2022-07-04
Peer ReviewedYes
Open AccessYes
TypeARTICLE
VenueJournal of Gender Studies (JOURNAL)
Journal identifiersISSN: 0958-9236 • E-ISSN: 1465-3869
PublisherInforma UK Limited (PUBLISHER • GB)
DOI10.1080/09589236.2021.1952406
OpenAlexW3185179029
LanguageEN
Citations received3
References cited33

This discussion paper takes as its starting point the marginal existence of men in the seemingly mono-gendered arena of childbearing, both as midwives and as service users. It seeks to explore how their problematic presence can be both accommodated and rejected within the limits of existing language which manifests itself most rigidly in the word ‘midwife’. I argue that ‘midwife’ has multiple meanings which are mobilized in different situations to call upon either a seemingly stable etymological understanding or a more fluid and adaptable semantic meaning. I engage in the heuristic device of ‘orientations’ inspired by the work of Sara Ahmed to illuminate how these multiple meanings serve to exclude people who do not identify as female. Lastly, I illustrate how a recent focus on gender-neutral and additive language to accommodate men into a historically exclusively female discourses has further exposed the limitations of the gendered word ‘midwife’ to be able to include people of all genders and none

Epistemology · Etymology · Linguistics · Sociology · Computer Science · Feminism, Gender, and Sexuality Studies · Foucault, Power, and Ethics · Gender Roles and Identity Studies · Gender Studies · Philosophy · Psychology

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