Endometriosis South Coast, a charity supporting women who suffer from endometriosis, has appointed a biological male as its CEO, sparking backlash online.
The charity announced Sunday that Steph Richards, a man who identifies as a woman, has been appointed as the charity’s new CEO. Richards’ pinned post on Twitter reads, “Trans people are people: We are doctors, nurses, and teachers. We are lawyers, airline pilots and scientists. We are designers, artists and poets.” His profile also includes “she/her” pronouns and a bio describing him as an “Intersectional Feminist & Human Rights Activist” and as a Women’s & LGBT Officer” for the United Kingdom’s Labour Party. (RELATED: Biological Male Reportedly Breaks Women’s Powerlifting World Record After Appearing To Mock Women For Being Weak)
According to the World Health Organization, endometriosis “is a disease in which tissue similar to the lining of the uterus grows outside the uterus,” often causing severe pain and difficulty conceiving.
“Isn’t it ridiculous that I’ve got to my 40s, before any medical professionals even mentioned endometriosis,” a quote on the charity’s announcement graphic reads. The graphic also featured a picture of Richards, causing some users to attribute the quote to the new CEO, who never had a uterus and therefore cannot suffer from endometriosis.
The charity issued a clarification a few hours later explaining that the quote was not from Richards, but from “a person that our charity supports.”
Users took to the comments to blast the charity, which raises money for a disease that affects more than 1 in 10 women, for appointing a man as CEO.
We are excited to share with you all that we welcome Steph (@PompeySteph) to the team as our new CEO. Supporting to move forward with our missions as a charity – we are all grateful to have Steph on board. Watch this space for more updates soon 💛#Endometriosis #Adenomyosis pic.twitter.com/iXS4OueVPn
— Endometriosis South Coast #WOW winners (@EndoSouthC) November 12, 2023
“Why has a male been appointed the CEO of a charity that is seeking to focus on a specific female health issues [sic]?” one user wrote. “This seems like a total lapse in judgement that distracts from, and undermines, the important work which you do.”
“As a woman who suffered with endometriosis for decades, I simply cannot fathom why you’d think this appointment is appropriate,” another posted.
Richards has made controversial statements in the past, including tweeting in Dec. 2022 that “child” is a “social construct.” Richards also called puberty blockers “safe and revisable medical treatment,” despite mounting evidence to the contrary. He also claimed that endometriosis is “not just a woman’s issue,” because so-called “trans men” suffer from it as well.