'Assigned at birth'. I would like to try to change the conversation. Any scientifically literate people willing to take a look?

[Annandale]

The phrase 'assigned at birth' referring to sex is becoming more frequent. The government-published consultation document for the changes to the Gender Recognition Act has the following definition for sex: that it is defined by medical practitioners at birth. This is part of the explanatory glossary for the document, not one of the questions for the consultation.

I think this definition is actively wrong. Biological sex either male or female is observable in the vast majority of cases from the external genitals, either at birth or frequently from an ultrasound image of a foetus's developing genitals in the womb. Many parents now chose to have antenatal chromasomal testing for a variety of reasons, which can include accurate information on biological sex early in human gestation.

I think it is very important that definitions of words in a government document are accurate and complete. 'Assigned female/male at birth' is becoming a more commonly used phrase but does not relate to reality. It has been used in the past in relation to a small number of cases where a baby was born with a disorder of sexual development, befote chromosomal testing was widely available. It is not appropriate or accurate to use it about children born in the UK in modern times.

I want to write to my MP and ask for a vote in the House of Commons about the use of this specific definition in government documents and statements. I'm happy to use my own words, but can anyone tell me if anything in this statement is factually wrong? I obviously want to encourage accuracy, not perpetuate further lies.

Just dropping in a recent BMJ piece that mentions the "assigned at birth" phrase in passing: www.mumsnet.com/Talk/womens_rights/3339177-Excellent-BMJ-Article-Responding-to-Previous-One-Featuring-ATH

'Assigned female at birth' is an example of begging the question (the logical fallacy that occurs when an argument's premises assume the truth of the conclusion).

I hate the term 'assigned female at birth' almost as much as the fact nobody uses 'begging the question' right either.

'Assigned female at birth' makes as much sense as claiming a baby is only born when they receive a birth certificate and that you are only dead when a death certificate is filed.

I have also seen the phrase 'coersively assigned at birth' recently too.

Ask if the baby girls dumped on rubbish heaps in Pakistan had that happen to them because they were assigned female at birth. Do Boko Haram check who had female assigned to them at birth and how they identify before knowing who to snatch?

It’s a nonsense.

"Assigned female/male at birth" as an expression comes from medical papers and discussions about intersex conditions

Before it was easy to check a newborn's chromosomes, doctors were limited to what they could observe and they would give deciding on the baby's sex their best shot.

It was felt that parents had to be given a decision on the sex, so doctors assigned them.

This expression wasn't used for babies where the sex was obvious, as most are.

Usually, the sex of a baby is observed at birth. In some cases, it's already known and the observation is merely confirmation. I had an amino, I knew months before DD was born that she was a girl, from her chromosomes.

Then there are the rare intersex babies as already mentioned. Their sex is now determined by appropriate tests, and that has nothing to do with transgender issues.

Amnio - sorry, got autocorrected to amino.

the following definition for sex: that it is defined by medical practitioners at birth

Firstly, the sex of an infant is not 'defined' by medical practitioners, it is observed.

Secondly, for the vast majority of babies born in the UK, their sex is already known before they are born. The foetus's sex is observed during ultrasound scans or through genetic testing during invasive tests, even if the parents aren't informed.

Of course it's wrong.

But changing it is vital for TRAs who believe that biological sex is an inner-feeling, not a bodily fact.

For the government to have to change it back they'd have to deny that, and they wouldn't dare.

Your post seems correct to me OP and well done challenging it.

Obviously, sex is observed, except in the rare cases of ambiguous genitalia. I mean, there is a miniscule subset of births, where the observed sex is not the actual sex (xy developing as apparently female due to male hormone insensitivity). If one wanted to consider such eventualities, one would have to go for ‚observed Apparent sex‘ or so. Still better than ‚assigned‘, which sounds totally arbitrary to me.

Even if the verb “assigned” is used, how is the sex actually assigned? By first observing it.
FFS it’s yet another stupid circular argument. Just like TWAW, so is it true that WATW? No, but why not if they’re the same.

That phrase grinds my gears. Every time I hear it, because lets face it nobody says it in real life. I mean when the midwife hands you your baby she never every says ' I have assigned this baby as a girl, as you can observe she has a penis, but I have decided that she is a girl'.

"biologically female" is the phrase I use.

Absolutely Flippin. It implies there's some sort of decision making process as to what the sex of the baby is, which is nonsense.

It's a nonsense phrase to give you the option of saying it's wrong.

OFAB would be better. Observed female at birth. Or observed female at scan. OFAS.

I agree we need to get away from it.

It seems then, as if it's a deliberate attempt to equate intersex and trans people. Another way language is being manipulated

I have just complained about it on a LA consultation I've just filled in.

Starkstaring

Yes. Biologically female and male-bodied (when talking about adults for the purpose of GRA consultations etc. Leaves no room for doubt

It actually makes me quite angry. I can’t understand why ‘professional’ bodies use it. Why are they lying?

AspieAndProud

I have a massive crush on your mind. You keep knocking superb comments right out of the park!

They are very very scared of being accused of being the sort of meanies who would fail to endorse a delusional belief system. They have been co-erced, bullied and gas-lighted

I think "observed [whatever sex] at birth" is the wording needed here.
"Assigned" makes it sound like there's some kind of sorting hat.

A trans woman posted here a while back that being trans IS an intersex condition, just that no one has yet discovered what or how.

I read the summary of an NHS conference on gender identity where it was agreed that the condition is "somatic" ie biological. I think that is in blue brain/ pink brain territory.

Sex is just a series of characteristics. Sex is determined at the point the sperm meets the egg.
Sex is observed at birth in the vast majority of cases (excludes some intersex conditions).