British gymnastics just asked whether my son's gender matches the sex he was assigned at birth.

[Splandy]

I've come across the ridiculous notion of sex being assigned before now, but not in a form like this. Is this the way it is now? Have other people come across this? The form asked for his gender, then his sex, then whether the gender he identifies as matches the sex he was assigned at birth. There was no option to choose anything other than male or female for gender, then there was a 'prefer not to say' option for sex and the same for the question on assigned sex. There was no option to say that I refuse to/can't answer the question because it doesn't make sense, so I had to click prefer not to say. Either way, I had to accept that his sex was assigned at birth, rather than observed. Considering sending an email but doubt it'll make a difference.

Nope, I would say students and lecturers take the 'progressive' view or just go along with it for fear of repercussion.

The uni equal opportunity policy also states something along the lines of transwomen are women and transmen are men.

I was pleased they asked about sex with just an m/f choice really.
I thought the form was a bit of a fudge to allow them to get the info they need (bio sex) with minimal risk of offending anyone.

I've filled in more annoying forms about "gender you identify with" plus stupid list.

Yes! I thought I'd start a thread about this too. The gender thing is really annoying. But it's also annoying that they have never asked for this information before. They're asking for MY date of birth and lots of other information that they don't actually need for insurance purposes. It's just a covert information finding exercise, isn't it? I haven't sent the form. I need to phone them tomorrow. Has anyone else phoned them about this?

Bloody hell. I'm looking forward to my next form now!

op maybe a pithy email saying 'sex is assigned at conception' would be appropriate....

Thing is Dds gym takes them from four yrs old. And frankly anyone pushing this stuff at four is being abusive. What do they need this info for and how are they going to explain stuff to kids, if it comes Into play in the sessions, without enforcing stereotypes

They don't need to know as I said befire surely? Dobt all the kids get treated the same woth moves just perhaps altered for male biology ?

The council door knocked with a survey. At the end, instead of asking my sex, it asked which gender i "identify as". I was enraged, and even more so when a subsequent question asked if antone in the house "identified as" disabled. Er, what? DP has a chronic condition which is technically a disability but he manages it effectively with medication. He doesn't like to think of himself as disabled though. He was pissed off as well.

Its all a little silly, BUT I am kind of glad this is becoming more common as it means the bollocks is reaching a lot more people. People who may have no clue about this whole thing otherwise and still think that 'trans rights' is about access to healthcare, no discrimination and such...when thats NOT whats being fought for at all. In turn that makes them look into it a little more. Which means more people become gender critical...and the pushback begins.

and even more so when a subsequent question asked if antone in the house "identified as" disabled.

Thats absolutely shocking. But...I thought transabled was pretty much denounced by all (though again, the arguments against transabled apply exactly to 'transgender'..same as the arguments against 'trans-racial' do). Seems an odd question and I too would have been extremely annoyed with the wording, having a long term disability myself. I don't 'identify' as disabled, I just am. Same as I don't 'identify' as female...I just am. This identity rubbish is going way too far tbh

I have just been on the phone to British Gymnastics. They say they have to collect this date as it's new government regulations that come into force in May. I questions what this has got to do with insurance, but the lady couldn't explain that, just kept referring to new government guidelines.
She said I could lie about my own date of birth. Also, you don't have to answer the gender question as there is a "prefer not to say" option. Apparently they have to ask this questions as now there are children who don't identify as their sex.
I am also not happy about having to send these details over the internet, but there is no other option. If you don't want to send your children's personal details over the internet you can no longer do gymnastics!
So angry!!

I've just applied for a job with national trust they asked the same. Gymnastics and NT in one day makes me think it is a requirement

I’ve just had to answer this on our annual staff survey was I ‘assigned’ male or female at birth. Couldn’t opt out of the question which annoyed me. I’m a bloody women I’ve not been assigned an identity.

They say they have to collect this date as it's new government regulations that come into force in May.

Anyone know what government regulations this could be?

So... New government regulations force the idea that sex is assigned at birth. So they are stating that our healthcare system assigns babies a sex a birth. Which they know isn't true. I have no idea which government regulations these could be, I haven't heard anything about it.

So when you for an ultrasound will they stop telling you if it's a boy or a girl? Seeing as it's assigned at birth (sarcasm!)

I have my notice to marriage and the registrar asked me and my partner this.

Thank you Splandy, I read your other thread and came looking for this.

I too was handed the form at DDs gym class last night, I stuck it with the pile of paperwork to be ignored and there it would have stayed if I hadn't read your thread. I can't remember having to do this on-line before, I am sure the club did it, after all they have DDs details from registration.

I am upset at having to complete that part of the form, I checked the prefer not to say box. I am narked at having to check my child's sex twice. I am even more narked as religion was just one choice no assigned at birth and what is it now choice there. Surely religion is more fluid than sex? People are often assigned religion at birth, but I suppose that is just muddying the waters.

I am debating as to phoning British Gymnastics.

Anyway thanks Splandy for flagging this up.

paperclipmover please do phone them. I phoned them earlier. They just say "government guidelines" to everything, but it's still worth letting them know that people aren't happy.

Whenever I get a form now with ticking a gender on I cross out the word gender and put sex. Just because I can.

Ok Ricotta, I'll try and call them tomorrow and check back in here. I want to know how to get hold of these guidelines so I can see for myself. Maybe emailing them would be good too so as there is a trail.

whoputthecatout yes I would have done that, but this form has to be filled in on-line, there's no other option (which in itself annoys me as well). I had to tick the "would rather not say" box, which isn't really the truth either.

paperclipmover I have e-mailed [email protected] (their safeguarding department) with a copy to [email protected] . I'll be very interested to hear what they say to you if you get a chance to speak to them.

I will also be emailing but I'm not so great at it. I never know what to say. I think I'm always too bloody reasonable

I started the other thread in AIBU to try to get some opinions from people who are not interested in or aware of the transgender debate/feminism. I'm aware that I made myself sound less aware than I really am. I want somebody to explain to me how this makes sense, but not a single person can. All I get is confusion over sex and gender. I guess the title puts most of those people off even clicking on it though. I think most people, feminist or not, would disagree with the idea that sex is assigned at birth.

I also cross out gender and replace with sex. Only my sex is relevant. It's not possible on an online form so I also had to choose 'prefer not to say' which made me angry. Any answer to that question makes it sound as though you agree with the idea.

Just tried to call but as caller number 18 with a 20 minute wait time I gave up. Hopefully the previous 17 callers were calling about the same issue.

Ok, sent a rather badly worded email to the addresses supplied by Ricotta, thank you.

I too hate writing emails, I hate writing at all, I never write what I mean to say.

Anyhow I wrote that I was perturbed by the idea that my child's sex was assigned, that she's a female and will always be one. I asked that if the requirement for the "assigned" question came from an internal or external document could I be forwarded the documents. I'll let you know what response I get.

I need to educate myself on this issue, any suggestions where to start? I am reading the feminist boards on here but I think I need a sex and gender 101.

Am Wondering if Splandy is a parent at my child's gym class- I do the drop-off and staying-to-watch for a few families and it would be nice to have a feminism chat while I'm doing it . I usually just drink tea!