The Government has suggested the UN refer to expectant mothers as 'pregnant people' in order to avoid excluding the transgender community.

The Foreign and Commonwealth Office has suggested the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights - which the UK has been a signatory of since 1976 - amend its terminology of expectant mothers so that 'transgender people who have given birth' are finally included, reports the Telegraph.

An FCO spokesman told the Sunday Times: 'The UK does not object to the use of the term "pregnant woman". We strongly support the right to life of pregnant women, and we have requested that the Human Rights Committee does not exclude pregnant transgender people from that right to life.'

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Currently, the UN treaty says a 'pregnant woman' must be protected, including not being subject to the death penalty.

However, some people have taken umbrage with the suggested amendment.

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Feminist write Sarah Ditum told The Times: 'Having a female body and knowing what that means for reproduction doesn't make you "exclusionary". Forcing us to decorously scrub out any reference to our sex on pain of being called bigots is an insult.'

The Sun reports the chair of female Labour MPs Jess Philipps responded to the news: 'Who is asking for this?

'I've never met a trans person who doesn't like terms like 'pregnant woman'

'It seems like nonsense to suggest otherwise.'

Earlier this year, Conservative MP Philip Davies argued the British Medical Association's advice to staff not to refer to 'expectant mothers' as it could be offensive was 'completely ridiculous'.

'Is this what we've come to as a great nation, that we're paying civil servants to come up with this kind of drivel? Has the Foreign Office got nothing else to worry about?

'I defy anyone to go out on the streets and find anyone offended by the term "pregnant woman".'

The news comes two weeks after the Office for National Statistics revealed it wanted to make declaring gender in the next census voluntary because it discriminates against trans people.

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Katie O'Malley is the Site Director on ELLE UK. On a daily basis you’ll find Katie managing all digital workflow, editing site, video and newsletter content, liaising with commercial and sales teams on new partnerships and deals (eg Nike, Tiffany & Co., Cartier etc), implementing new digital strategies and compiling in-depth data traffic, SEO and ecomm reports. In addition to appearing on the radio and on TV, as well as interviewing everyone from Oprah Winfrey to Rishi Sunak PM, Katie enjoys writing about lifestyle, culture, wellness, fitness, fashion, and more.