'My doctor just called me a good girl and I died a bit inside': From everyday misogyny to obstetric violence in UK fertility and maternity services.

This paper begins with the common phrase 'good girl' as a lens through which to explore the insidious nature of patronising and paternalistic language on women's agency in obstetric care. Here we see how misogynistic language is both violence against women in its own right, and serves to create a context in which more extreme obstetric violence can be precipitated. Based on thematic analysis of discussion on Mumsnet, and on contributions to a research-focused Facebook group, this paper illustrates the complexity of recognising and refuting misogyny as a female patient as well as the damage that can occur from a cultural context in which this language is normalised. Here, words both boast a materiality through the environments they reify, and become transient and slippery, with semiotic uncertainty. • Use of misogynistic language in obstetric and fertility care is widespread. • This language may be difficult to identify and address. • Language that positions women as incompetent creates a context in which violence may occur during childbirth. • Experiences of obstetric violence are common even in the UK, amongst well-educated women. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]