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Feminism: Sex and gender discussions

NHS Sex and Gender

28 replies

Secretsquirrelshh · 22/09/2026 12:09

Refreshing to see this on a recent survey. I’m fairly sure I did the same survey last year and the question referenced “assigned at birth”.

NHS Sex and Gender
OP posts:
pontefractals · 22/09/2026 12:12

It's a big step in the right direction, though it still assumes we all "identify with a gender", which is a bit like being asked if I'm a Catholic atheist or a Protestant one.

TiredWife · 22/09/2026 12:20

I filled in a survey for a theatre I'd visited recently which had a compulsory questions which asked for gender identity and used the 'assigned at birth' guff. I made sure to point out in the comments that I was 'gender agnostic' and didn't subscribe to the ideology so they should remove that question.
I always write: my sex observed at birth is female.

Ingenieur · 22/09/2026 12:28

I guess it's a move in the right direction, but I'd still prefer "sex at birth" or better "sex at conception".

What you were registered as doesn't necessarily align with reality either.

Justme56 · 22/09/2026 12:35

I’d prefer it if they could actually give a clear definition of what a female or male gender is supposed to encompass and obviously give examples.

iwishitwouldstartraining · 22/09/2026 12:50

Ingenieur · 22/09/2026 12:28

I guess it's a move in the right direction, but I'd still prefer "sex at birth" or better "sex at conception".

What you were registered as doesn't necessarily align with reality either.

I think the point is that registered sex is written down so it's objectively verifiable, even if you are one of those adults who think it's impossible to know your sex.

PeachyDaisy · 22/09/2026 12:54

I hate the usage of the term 'sex at birth' as it implies that your sex can somehow change over the course of your life. It can't

Ratherhaveacupofteaandabiscuit · 22/09/2026 12:57

I am a "frequent flyer" as a patient these days and always cross out this nonsense and write my sex is female.

Have always got wry smiles and nods from medical staff when doing so.
Some have even said yes we know but we have to use the forms sent from above.

GreyskySexRealistsky · 22/09/2026 12:58

I don't think it's much of an improvement. What does it mean?
How do I explain this to a speaker of limited English? How do I explain this to my 90-year-old grandmother?

GailBlancheViola · 22/09/2026 13:02

There should be a Not Applicable option or the question worded for ONLY those who claim to have a gender identity with a follow up question as to what that gender identity is.

Secretsquirrelshh · 22/09/2026 13:07

The screen before this asked for my sex - and only gave the options male and female (and "prefer not to say"). So a definite improvement.

OP posts:
nauticant · 22/09/2026 13:14

How can a gender be the same as a sex when they're different things?

It's a bit like asking: Is this apple the same as that orange?

GreyskySexRealistsky · 22/09/2026 13:19

It's not an improvement if some people won't understand the question.

What does the question mean?

RareGoalsVerge · 22/09/2026 13:25

It's still assuming that everyone believes in magic gender bullshit. Not everyone has a gender they identify with and "prefer not to say" doesn't allow for the possibility of rejecting the very concept.

Can you imagine a questionnaire where the options for "What religion are you?" Were

  • Christian
  • Muslim
  • Prefer not to Say
I rather suspect that atheists woukd find such a question deeply offensive.
GreyskySexRealistsky · 22/09/2026 13:35

RareGoalsVerge · 22/09/2026 13:25

It's still assuming that everyone believes in magic gender bullshit. Not everyone has a gender they identify with and "prefer not to say" doesn't allow for the possibility of rejecting the very concept.

Can you imagine a questionnaire where the options for "What religion are you?" Were

  • Christian
  • Muslim
  • Prefer not to Say
I rather suspect that atheists woukd find such a question deeply offensive.

I suspect Sikhs, Jews, Buddhists etc would too. I take your point and don't want to get sidetracked by religion, but it's not the same.
There are no other sexes apart from female and male.
In order to get the information it seeks, the NHS needs to design a clear question that everyone can understand irrespective of their comprehension level. This question fails.

RareGoalsVerge · 22/09/2026 13:51

GreyskySexRealistsky · 22/09/2026 13:35

I suspect Sikhs, Jews, Buddhists etc would too. I take your point and don't want to get sidetracked by religion, but it's not the same.
There are no other sexes apart from female and male.
In order to get the information it seeks, the NHS needs to design a clear question that everyone can understand irrespective of their comprehension level. This question fails.

I think the analogy holds - just like there are dozens of religions other than Christian and Muslim, there are dozens of "genders" according to gender ideology doctrine. It's totally as inappropriate to have a question with two binary options and "prefer not to say" like this relating to either gender or religion. There are two sexes, male and female. The questionnaire should ask for sex, clearly stating that this means biological sex, and then have an optional free-text question saying something like "If you have a different gender, please describe" which can be ignored by people who don't believe.

BreezyClouds · 22/09/2026 13:51

Glad it asks sex, and registered at birth is fine for me.

They need to consider why they want to collect GI. What will they use it for? It tells you nothing, not even what pronouns the person would like you to use.

All they're doing is identifying people who may have the PC of GR, and so creating a register. Without a legitimate purpose that is a risk.

GreyskySexRealistsky · 22/09/2026 13:58

RareGoalsVerge · 22/09/2026 13:51

I think the analogy holds - just like there are dozens of religions other than Christian and Muslim, there are dozens of "genders" according to gender ideology doctrine. It's totally as inappropriate to have a question with two binary options and "prefer not to say" like this relating to either gender or religion. There are two sexes, male and female. The questionnaire should ask for sex, clearly stating that this means biological sex, and then have an optional free-text question saying something like "If you have a different gender, please describe" which can be ignored by people who don't believe.

I must admit I genuinely forgot about the eleventy billion other genders.
I guess that makes me some sort of 'phobe - off to reeducation camp for me!

Lins77 · 22/09/2026 14:04

I filled in a form (not NHS) the other day which asked "Which gender do you most identify with?". Man/woman/non-binary/other (please specify). And didn't ask about sex at all 🤦‍♀️

PeachyDaisy · 22/09/2026 14:21

If asked to state pronouns I leave it blank or sometimes just write 'Ms' so I can fill in something whilst not having to partake in the lunacy of giving my pronoun

Lins77 · 22/09/2026 14:28

PeachyDaisy · 22/09/2026 14:21

If asked to state pronouns I leave it blank or sometimes just write 'Ms' so I can fill in something whilst not having to partake in the lunacy of giving my pronoun

I'd be tempted to write "I, me, my".

simonr07 · 22/09/2026 15:18

Totally agree it's an improvement but long way to go. I know this is a bit cheeky however I've just started a petition about better access to evidence based, science based information rather than the gender affirming information for our teens when they query their gender. Our NHS site referred us to an LGBQT+ site which is a bit like referring an anorexic patient to Slimming World...

Please read, sign and share if you agree https://c.org/nGgVt2NrsN

Rollingpinofdoom · 22/09/2026 16:58

Lins77 · 22/09/2026 14:04

I filled in a form (not NHS) the other day which asked "Which gender do you most identify with?". Man/woman/non-binary/other (please specify). And didn't ask about sex at all 🤦‍♀️

I fill this in by saying I am Greygender demi bio on Mondays and Fridays, a masc presenting femme boy on Tuesdays and Thursdays, a omnigender or Casiogender on Wednesdays depending on the date and agender on weekends. I like to show them how seriously I take their questions….

StrongestWoman · 22/09/2026 17:02

I was pleasantly surprised that the consent form for my child's flu vaccine said sex and not gender this year. Onwards and upwards.

DramaAndBullshit · 23/09/2026 19:51

nauticant · 22/09/2026 13:14

How can a gender be the same as a sex when they're different things?

It's a bit like asking: Is this apple the same as that orange?

Gender is a social construct, and as such doesn’t actually exist at all. Sex is biology, unchangeable and except in some rare cases, absolutely binary. Gender is nonsense and has no place on any clinical or official forms.

RogueFemale · 23/09/2026 20:04

I wouldn't go as far as refreshing, still the old gender identification bollocks, - but definitely good to see the phrase 'sex registered at birth' getting a look in.

Don't see a problem with 'registered at birth' @Ingenieur?