AIBU to question pronouns and gender options on a job application?

[Felinefoster]

I have just attempted to fill out an online job application which asked for my pronouns (5 options) and gave me six options for my gender. These questions were optional but the application did not ask me for my sex.
It’s made think how none of these questions even make sense.

I am a woman because of my biology, nothing more nothing less. What does it mean living as a woman and using female pronouns if you are not female. I can’t think of any other question an employer would ask that has no definition.

AIBU to think that the phrase living as a woman should actually read living as a stereotype of a woman through a male lens. And visa versa. And these questions have no place on job applications.

If employers are looking for diversity they should also ask applicants their biological sex because women are still underpaid and under represented in many/most well paid industries. They should be using this accurate data to ensure fairness.

If it was the optional equalities questions, then that is to prove they have a good diversity of applicants.
If they are asking that in the body of the application then that is alarm bells for me, they should be ignoring anything related to protected characteristics during the application stage to make it fair.

You’re not wrong but job- hunting may not be the time to argue about it.

I’m sure it was equalities but why don’t they ask whether you are a biological woman. Considering as a sex class we are underrepresented and earn less.

it would be good to get an explanation from the voters who think I’m wrong

I find this really annoying. Ditto all the religious stuff. If it so doesn't matter in this EDI times - why are they so obsessed with collecting this info?
I resent it, as it's my time being used, but it's irrelevant to the job. (If it is relevant, fine, ask.)

They cannot legally ask that.

You can always tick the “prefer not to say” box. You don’t have to answer the question if you don’t want to.

It’s for the purpose of gathering data. HR look at how many people of different minorities are applying for positions and how many are making it to interview. Asking for pronouns is so they don’t misgender anyone at interview. Regardless of how you feel about the trans issue, companies making sure they aren’t being unnecessarily rude to people is a good thing. I don’t feel the need to declare my pronouns but if someone prefers me to refer to them in a way they feel comfortable with, I’d be a complete dick to ignore that. It’s no different to people deciding that others shouldn’t shorten their names without checking first.

No, it is quite different because one requires you to accept their ideology as fact and the other doesn't.

What if someone preferred you to refer to them as 'their most excellency, master of the universe' - that made them feel comfortable. Would you be a dick to ignore that?

How is a male who refers to himself as they them and non binary a minority?

regarding my gender, ‘prefer not to say' would be a lie. I don’t have a gender, i have a sex

But they can ask for pronouns?

Guessing if you want the job you'll need to fill out the application form they set. Maybe they are a totally diverse company and want to welcome all, including LGBTQ applications. Maybe its not the job for you. Its just a form. Not really a huge deal.

What were the five options?

companies making sure they aren’t being unnecessarily rude to people is a good thing

Prospective employees making sure they're not unnecessarily rude either by not enforcing pronouns nonsense would be an even better thing.

They are not enforcing anything.

Seems an original post for MN.

No it doesn’t. It requires me to address them as they prefer. Both are the same thing. Jennifer is not Jenny, why would it be ok for me to call her that?

Yep. If that’s what they want to be called. No skin off my nose.

In which case, you prefer not to say. Or, just don’t tick the box.

They are. They are ensuring compliance if you want a job.

Yes. Because that doesn’t come under the “protected characteristics” of the Equality Act.

No they aren’t. They are asking people to fill in equalities data. It is entirely voluntary.

In no real world scenario would that application make it through a first sift. It has "nightmare employee" written all over it.

A large number of males on your life do this?