Directorate was trying to do away with traditional colours for boys and girls health booklets
Portugal’s DGS (health general directorate) announced yesterday that “there will no longer be blue or pink booklets (for children) depending on gender, they will all be yellow”. And today it has been forced to recant, “by decision of the Ministry of Health”.
As Expresso explains, “in a note sent to the media this Tuesday, the DGS informs that the old colours will be maintained by decision of the Ministry, but does not justify why”.
The why may be explained by the reaction of CDS MP João Pinho de Almeida, who wrote over social network ‘X’ that the choice of a universal colour was “yet another piece of nonsense from someone who should be dedicated to effectively improving public health policy”.
CDS-PP are the coalition partner of the current government, and thus their perspective will have carried some sway.
As it is, the focus on de-gendering at a point where children use these booklets (invariably the very early years) does indeed seem a long way from any general improvement to public health. It smacks of a political agenda, which is not what the DGS is meant to be about.
Otherwise, the revamped booklet now includes ‘helpful information’ for parents on ‘safe and healthy exposure to screens, and the importance of playing and having outdoor activities’, says Expresso.
This is not the first time DGS director Rita Sá Machado has been pulled up for her focus on making things neutral. She created a stir earlier this year by insisting on official literature referring to “people who menstruate”, opening the doors to the possibility that anyone other than a woman could menstruate.
