Gender specifications on your Mumsnet account: update

[SarahMumsnet]

Morning folks,

Following on from last week’s thread about our asking you to sign up to Mumsnet as male or female, here’s where we’ve landed.

We’ve had a careful read of the thread, and done some more general reading around and investigation into how this is handled elsewhere, and we think the best way to proceed is to add the option “other” to the list of responses to the question of gender. Viz

Female
Male
Other (please specify) _

This is how lots of other sites navigate this, so we hope it’s not too controversial.

As ever when it comes to questions around gender, we’re aware that not everyone will agree, but this seems to us to be the most inclusive and sensible route to take.

Do let us know what you think.
MNHQ

[ToothlessAndPointless]

I don't see what anyone can object to if they can type in exactly what they want. but I'm sure someone will be along to moan shortly

[SeekEveryEveryKnownHidingPlace]

Why gender not sex?

[LineyReborn]

I thought the issue was that posters wanted to specify their sex, and not have to specify a gender at all?

[HairyLittleCarrot]

Sarah, thanks for listening!
I'm on my mobile presently and can only access the two radio button forced choice options (M/F)
I'll get onto a computer and take a look.

Let us know if you ever decide to add a 'sex' option :-)

[MissBattleaxe]

My understanding is that the sex you are is what you were born with. Your gender is how you choose to be identified. But I am happy to stand corrected.

[sugar21]

Lol @ other I wonder if you'll get any aliens or klingons or even Jedi

[AndNowItsSeven]

I think know that Male and Female are the only factual choices.
Sadly it's only to be expected in today's society.

[glenthebattleostrich]

Can we not also have a prefer not to say?

[BertieBotts]

Hi Sarah.

Some of us were wondering what this data is used for, if you can share? Is it just to place the correct modifiers on somebody's profile (e.g. his/her) or does it have some influence on the advertising we see on the site? Or perhaps it's just for internal records?

[ObsidianBlackbirdMcNight]

Does it still ask gender? Because if so you've missed the point

Really, it should be sex - female, male or prefer not to say

Nothing stops a trans person ticking the sex box that doesn't correspond with their actual sex if they want to.

[HairyLittleCarrot]

Has anyone who is 'anti-gender' like me got any idea about a nice concise phrase to use to express that under 'other'?

I like the idea of future newspaper articles from Justine et al mentioning that the gender split of their members is X% female, y% male and z% reject gender as a bullshit damaging stereotype

Or similar.

[Whatdoidohelp]

Umm, what gender is other? Serious question.

[Sparklingbrook]

Just get rid of the box altogether.

[BeyondBootcampsAgain]

Yy, to echo Ego's post - why are you asking?

[MaidOfStars]

Maybe a better question would be - which of this things are you interested in? Tick as many as you like
Agree.

If I tick 'female', will I get nappy ads? And betting ads if I tick 'male'?

FFS. I know you want data for advertisers but I think this is an issue where Mumsnet might take a principled stand.

[BeyondBootcampsAgain]

Would "sex" with...
Male ◽️
Female◽️
Trans*◽️
...be appropriate?

[SeekEveryEveryKnownHidingPlace]

Well what it also means is that if MN are invited onto the Today Programme or Woman's Hour, they can say things like '80% of our registered posters identify as female, and the consensus on the site is that [insert topic of the day]', or 'and X% of them say that they've experience sexual harassment in the workplace/at university' or whatever.

So basically there's a lot of potential for statistics to be misunderstood or misappropriated if the 80% who tick 'female' includes people who feel as though they are female. This wouldn't matter in all instances, but I could see it being problematic in some cases.

[BeyondBootcampsAgain]

I quite like the idea of a 'tick which of these statements you identify with'
Could then include
I am a female
Or
I am a cisfenale
Or
I rject gender stereotyping

Tick as many as you want?

[BeyondBootcampsAgain]

Though i do prefer there being no question at all, because why do you ask ??

[HairyLittleCarrot]

When do you plan to implement the changes, MNHQ?