Gender rather than sex on medical form

[TransposersArePosers]

I have had a form for my primary aged child's flu immunisation and lo and behold, under child's details they have asked for Gender: Girl or Boy

This probably wouldn't have bothered me last Winter to be fair, but now that I seem to have become GC (thanks to the lovely adult human females of this board!), I am fuming. I will contact the NHS trust that has sent out this document, but would like to know whether phoning or email would be better? Or both? I want to cross out Gender on the form and replace it with sex and write Female and Male.

Surely when it comes to medical forms we should be clear as to what sex the patient is? FFS

Grambler you may be able to find a number to ring in their literature.

I tried to be very factual and reasonable with my questions and gave reasons why I felt that they were wrong to ask for gender rather than sex. I doubt I'll get a reply, but I'll keep going with it for the next few months.

Crossing out boy girl and writing vapogender or whatever shows up how ridiculous it is though.

Not that I'd probably do it.

But still. Ridiculous.

Our area uses electronic forms and is asking for gender as well. I emailed them and told them the terms weren't synonymous and that surely sex is more medically relevant. No response as yet.

It's so frustrating! I'll give them until the middle of next week to reply, then perhaps ring again to ask for follow up.

Will update as and when

I crossed it out and corrected it, too - thanks to Mumsnet.

Vapogender?

I can't understand how vapogender could make the BBC list but not vapidgender, the extra special gender for people who are very dull and uninspiring and desperate to make themselves seem a bit more interesting?

I was asked gender; male, female, or other ffs on an electronic form recently

AFAIK until v recently people used the words 'sex' and 'gender' interchangeably. I still have to think hard when people try to distinguish them.

lisah987

I put that in my email to the nhs trust that deals with our school imms. I also then said that the World Health Organisation have them defined differently!

WHO definitions are

Gender

Refers to the socially constructed characteristics of women and men – such as norms, roles and relationships of and between groups of women and men. It varies from society to society and can be changed. The concept of gender includes five important elements: relational, hierarchical, historical, contextual and institutional. While most people are born either male or female, they are taught appropriate norms and behaviours – including how they should interact with others of the same or opposite sex within households, communities and work places. When individuals or groups do not “fit” established gender norms they often face stigma, discriminatory practices or social exclusion – all of which adversely affect health.

Sex

The different biological and physiological characteristics of males and females such as reproductive organs, chromosomes, hormones etc

Dealt with the flu form this morning. Crossed gender out and wrote sex. I do this every time.

I cross it out where I can and god help them if it’s online and they have a ‘free text’ box for you to fill out your own thoughts on the subject.

Other half works in a Life Sciences department of a very woke university, one of the questions on a department form asked “Gender: Male or Female”

Update

I've had a reply, which to be honest I wasn't expecting.

At this stage it is just a 'thanks for your comments, I will look into it and get back to you with more details' reply but at least I've had an acknowledgement of my concerns, which I didn't last year!