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Original poster

"Gender" on a form

62 replies

Beltane18 · 21/12/2017 12:35

I have just had to fill in a form for some training

It is a really unprofessional form in the sense that it's poorly formatted etc

but what they did do, very carefully, was to allocate 2 genders, male and female... and then write in the boxes in brackets that Female includes if you transitioned to be a woman - and also the same for Men.

SO ANNOYING.

I can't complain because I will be accused of hate speech at work.

OP posts:
VerticalBlinds · 21/12/2017 12:53

Trills if they want gender Id rather than sex then the form is hopeless as large numbers of people do not identify as one gender or the other, agender/non-binary people. Which if gender is read literally, encompasses most people.

SonicBoomBoom · 21/12/2017 12:52

I like the crossing out idea.

What can I do if the form is online? This has really been annoying me recently.

ZigZagandDustin · 21/12/2017 12:51

I don't see any problem with that. Unless the training is how to locate your own cervix or something.

AstraiaLiberty · 21/12/2017 12:50

When I fill out forms asking for gender or gender identity I've started ticking 'other' and writing in: 'I do not have a gender identity. My biological sex is female.' It's true! Up to them whether they use their common sense and record me as female, or put me in the super-special non-binary box instead.

Original poster
Beltane18 · 21/12/2017 12:49

Ereshkigal - yes, I'm wondering if I ought to do that. In the absence of just "female" perhaps that's the right thing to do.

also it has asked about gender. I don't believe in gender as such, so there's kind of no answer.

OP posts:
Trills · 21/12/2017 12:48

Is biological sex relevant for the training?

The people running it seem pretty clear on what they want you to tell them, and it's not that.

GreenBook · 21/12/2017 12:48

I just crossed out the 'gender' box and replaced it with 'sex'. In an NHS form. For my daughter, via her school (flu spray).

That's when I realised that all the stuff about transgender activists on MN wasn't internet froth, but something that actually affects me.

Original poster
Beltane18 · 21/12/2017 12:48

yes, Assassinated, I want to but seriously fear being accused of hate speech

they have given other options but it's set up so you can you say "I am female because transwomen are transwomen" if you see what I mean.

in terms of what they are interested in, I guess they are probably interested in ticking all the boxes HR told them to tick.

OP posts:
Ereshkigal · 21/12/2017 12:45

I'd be inclined to write that I didn't have a gender. Non binary people would be up in arms!

AssassinatedBeauty · 21/12/2017 12:42

I'd have just crossed it out and written "sex - female" underneath.

It's a kind of virtue signaling I think, trying to show that they are not transphobic or that they are explicitly trans inclusive.

If they were trying to use the data to look at sex discrimination then they should ask people what their sex is. If they're interested in gender identity and discrimination around that then they should have asked for that. And given all the options for gender identity such as none/non-binary/gender-fluid/etc etc etc.

Original poster
Beltane18 · 21/12/2017 12:42

no, I meant the form otherwise was poorly formatted and unclear

it's set up so it jumps all over the place, isn't clear how you should select your options etc...

but then you get to the "gender" question and all is perfect and correct. It's like they wouldn't dare risk getting anything wrong about that one!!

and of course all the information "they" want is "what gender box have you decided to occupy" - NOT what is your biological sex. Which would actually be relevant for this form. But of course biological sex is to be done away with.

OP posts:
Trills · 21/12/2017 12:39

It doesn't sound as if that question is poorly formatted or unclear.

They've put in some effort to make it clear so that you can give them the information they want.

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