Blood donation record states my gender is female

[TinaBarrow]

I've just received my letter for my blood donation appointment. On the back page is my blood donation record. It gives my name, title, DOB, blood group, donor no and says my gender is female.

But I don't have a gender and never have had one! They don't seem to want to know/care what sex I am.

So I've phoned them up and the very kind call-centre person has completed a complaint for me: I'd definitely encourage others to do the same.

[georgialondon]

Ok

[MockersthefeMANist]

Female is not a gender.

Gender is feminine and masculine, not male and female.

[EndoplasmicReticulum]

Previous thread on this topic. Towards the end of that thread the OP had a reply saying forms would be updated. Although that was in May:

www.mumsnet.com/Talk/womens_rights/3584176-NHS-Blood-donating-form-saying-gender-not-sex?pg=1

[ItsAllGoingToBeFine]

As it mentions in the previous thread, they go by self-ID gender, and not sex therefore they are correct to ask your gender.

[ScrambledSmegs]

Isn't there some well-known (to the medical profession) thing where if a man receives a blood transfusion from a woman who has been pregnant, it could cause serious illness or death?

[EndoplasmicReticulum]

What if I identify as blood group AB?

[SlightlyBonkersQFA]

🤔 Time well spent 😄🙈

[ScrambledSmegs]

What if I identify as blood group AB?

Presumably that would be A-OK.

But please sign this waiver first. Oh, you identify as Mickey Mouse? Lovely...

[Tensixtysix]

Oh for Christ sake! Pull yourself together!

[HeavyMetalHoneyMonster]

If they don’t need to know your sex, they definitely don’t need to know what “gender” you identify as. What’s the point?

[ArnoldWhatshisknickers]

Isn't there some well-known (to the medical profession) thing where if a man receives a blood transfusion from a woman who has been pregnant, it could cause serious illness or death?

Yes, the anti-bodies women develop during pregnancy can cause problems for men who are vulnerable. Like when they are sick and in need of a blood transfusion for example.

I understand that worst case scenario is that this can be fatal (though this is not common).

The sex of the donor matters.

Whether they like to wear lipstick does not.

OP you are right to complain. Your doing so could save lives.

[Nyon]

Just out of curiosity, how does sex/gender affect your donated blood? Or is this just an opportunity to waste a little of an over-stretched resource’s time?

[ScrambledSmegs]

It could be fatal for the recipient Nyon. See Arnold's post.

[Stegosaurus1990]

What a waste of time and resources for the NHS. Get a grip.

[NeedAnExpert]

See above. I work for a blood service. There are blood products that can’t be made from female blood. Sex absolutely matters.

[megletthesecond]

Good. Glad you've flagged it up to them.
When I get time I complain about sex / gender on forms too.

[ItsAllGoingToBeFine]

If they don’t need to know your sex, they definitely don’t need to know what “gender” you identify as. What’s the point

For eg if you identity yourself as male you have a different iron level test than someone who identifies themselves as female.

[ItsAllGoingToBeFine]

There are blood products that can’t be made from female blood. Sex absolutely matters.

I presume there is a way to sex the blood itself then?

[Gasp0deTheW0nderD0g]

I see a few people have turned up to berate the OP for wasting everyone's time. How about going off and doing a little googling first? It's important for HCPs to be clear about what sex their patient/blood donor is. Gender is totally irrelevant to health care and biology and the confusion between the two is leading to problems already.

eu.usatoday.com/story/news/health/2019/05/16/pregnant-transgender-man-births-stillborn-baby-hospital-missed-labor-signs/3692201002/ Trans man (ie biological female) has stillborn baby after nurse fails to grasp that trans man could be pregnant and in labour. A woman showing up with similar symptoms "would almost surely have been triaged and evaluated more urgently for pregnancy-related problems," the authors wrote. They think more training is needed for HCPs dealing with trans people. Surely it would be a lot simpler to stress to trans people that however they identify they need to accept material reality when seeking medical help and be crystal clear about their bio sex.

www.screeningforlife.wales.nhs.uk/transgender-faq-s-cervical-screening Quote from this NHS website:

I am a registered FtM/trans man. I have not yet had a hysterectomy. How can I get an invitation?
^As you have a cervix, you should have regular smear tests. However, as you are registered male, Cervical Screening Wales will not know this as you will not appear on the IT systems we use to invite women.
You will need to ask your GP or practice nurse to arrange a smear test. Your GP will need to inform you of the result, as Cervical Screening Wales cannot do this.^

I am a registered MtF/trans woman and have been invited for screening. Can I have a cervical screening test?
As you do not have a cervix you do not need cervical screening.

[nicknamehelp]

If you look on blood donors website men can donate again after 12 weeks but women 16 weeks due to lower levels of iron. So need to know from the donors point of view too. Shame biology doesn't keep up with peoples wish not to identify.

[CravingCheese]

Gasp0deTheW0nderD0g

Good post, thanks!

[TreestumpsAndTrampolines]

If they don’t need to know your sex, they definitely don’t need to know what “gender” you identify as. What’s the point?

This is a very good point - as under the regs around this, you need to have a good reason to collect and hold information. What possible use is self-identified gender?

[Bezalelle]

I am a registered MtF/trans woman and have been invited for screening. Can I have a cervical screening test?
As you do not have a cervix you do not need cervical screening.

😑

[wherearemypaintbrushes]

Nice

[HeavyMetalHoneyMonster]

ItsAllGoingToBeFine

I’m confused.

So if I “identify” as male “gender”, they’ll give me a blue iron test, right?

If I “identify” as female “gender”, I’ll get a pink iron test?

Or because I actually AM female, regardless of how I “identify”, I would be given the iron test appropriate for females. I think.