I don’t know about you, but I feel like we’ve wandered into a parallel universe – one where simple truths are now controversial, and facts are dressed up in jargon until they disappear.
Take the recent BBC episode involving Martine Croxall, a respected journalist with more than three decades on air. During a live broadcast she read the words “pregnant people” from the teleprompter, paused, and quietly corrected it to “women”.
A small act? Perhaps.
A symbolic one? Definitely.
Moments later she was reported, reprimanded and found to have breached BBC impartiality rules. The broadcaster’s Executive Complaints Unit said her facial expression “indicated a particular viewpoint” in the gender identity debate. Meanwhile, author J.K. Rowling praised Croxall on X (Twitter), calling her “my new favourite BBC presenter.”
Why saying “women” became controversial
Let’s pause on the obvious: only women can become pregnant. That’s a biological fact, not an insult. Women have wombs; women carry children. And yet, here we are in 2025, watching a journalist be criticised for stating the truth.
In recent years, the phrase “pregnant people” has become common in media and public health contexts, intended to include trans men and non-binary people who may experience pregnancy. Inclusivity is fine – but not when it erases the word women altogether.
Language shapes thought. If we keep replacing “women” with gender-neutral terms, we risk erasing the visibility of women in contexts that matter most – health care, rights, and representation.
When facts become offence
By correcting the line on air, Martine Croxall wasn’t launching a crusade; she was quietly acknowledging biological reality. Yet that small gesture has become a flashpoint for wider cultural tension – where truth itself is treated as opinion, and grammar is mistaken for ideology.
It’s another sign of how woke culture has shifted the goalposts. Factual statements are now “viewpoints.” Journalists face scrutiny for using accurate language. And the public, especially those of us over 60, are left wondering how we arrived at a place where honesty can breach policy.
Calm clarity over outrage
It’s tempting to rage against this trend, but outrage rarely persuades. The more emotional the tone, the easier it becomes for critics to dismiss you as reactionary.
Far more effective is calm, consistent truth-telling.
Women are the biological sex that bears children. That isn’t exclusionary – it’s reality. And we can say it without apology.
The view from Over 60
Many of us grew up in a time when language was plain and intentions were clear. Inclusion began as a good-hearted effort to respect difference. But somewhere along the line, sensitivity became censorship, and meaning got lost in euphemism.
When you can no longer say “pregnant women” without fear of complaint, something fundamental has shifted. We haven’t just lost words – we’ve lost clarity, and with it, the confidence to speak plainly about biological truths.
A quiet act of courage
In a world where fear of offence outweighs honesty, Martine Croxall did something quietly brave: she spoke a simple truth. She said “women”. She didn’t make a fuss or a speech – and yet, that calm correction has sparked a global debate.
Perhaps that’s the real takeaway: courage doesn’t always shout. Sometimes it simply refuses to play along with nonsense.
For those of us tired of seeing facts filtered through ideology, that’s a refreshing reminder that clarity still matters – and it’s worth defending.
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