NHS Feedback form asks 'what is your sex?' Guess what the three options are..

[CrumpetsReconsidered]

I attended a clinic at my local hospital yesterday. Wonderful staff and service (thank you NHS). I wanted to leave feedback so picked up the leaflet. Imagine my surprise to see there are three options for 'sex': Male, Female and Transgender. Despite being a regular lurked on these threads I am still surprised and shocked. I was talking to family earlier in the week about whether my young relative understands it is not possible to change one's sex and the distinctions between sex and gender so this has thrown me. Has someone noticed this on NHS Feedback forms before?

I'm happy to keep sex as an identifier.
Sex: Male, Female, trans MTF, trans FTM

I'm happy to respect someone's gender identity and however they choose to express themselves. That's different from biological sex.

Your reaction seems a bit OTT OP. Surely no one has ever taught their kids biology with reference to an NHS feedback form.

It’s a good way around a difficult problem - accurate recording is the desire here.

Sex: Male, Female, trans MTF, trans FTM

The current push though is for 'Non-Binary' to be recognised. Also there are 70+ gender identities.

the follow up question for ticking 'transgender' will need to include trans MTF, trans FTM, NB and additionally an open box as the number of gender identities is growing.

Sex is either male or female. Transgender is not useful here although transsexual would be, with space to indicate the treatment received (hormones or surgery).

Just cross out all three options and write 'Frequently.'

Seriously, it's ridiculous. I'm applying for jobs atm and a ludicrous number of 'diversity' forms have that option. I just take a deep breath...

Just cross out all three options and write 'Frequently.'

This may have contributed to the use of 'gender' as a euphemism for sex some time ago before gender identities became a phenomenon and the use gender in trans-ideology and queer theory.

Thank you for the replies. I have questions to try and think this through.

So for some commenting, the term 'sex' is preferable to 'gender' even if not technically the correct term. Partly because using the term gender means we wouldn't reliably know the sex of anyone responding as we can't determine who is identifying as female despite being born male, or vice versa. Is that right?

Whereas using the term 'sex' and including Male, Female and Transgender, will help analyse responses of people born male or female as well as knowing who is born either male or female but feels that this category doesn't sit comfortably.

Charleston, I take your point regarding having only male / female as maybe leading to skewing of stats.

ROwan, I that agree respecting gender identity and acknowledging sex are not incompatible. I can see the point that a lot of you make re this being a step in the right direction but that it needs follow up questions. I haven't got a better suggestion as to how to phrase it.

Batteries. I know the leaflet isn't a teaching aid but it made me question my understanding.I find it disconcerting as the more I read the less it seems I understand. Do you find my response OTT in that you think I am overthinking it?

Ghoulda, I am not offended. Just confused.

I am not offended. Just confused.

And, you say, shocked and surprised.

CrumpetsReconsidered

My suggestion is pragmatic.
NHS and other organisations need reliable data on sex.

Some people prioritise their gender identity however this means different things to different people and is disputed by many.

The next step that I can see being appropriate is to have both sex and gender identity on forms. Many will not fill in the second box (which would be their choice), but for safety (NHS etc), Equality Act and data accuaracy the first must be completed and can only have two options: male / female.

My apologies OP I had thought you were just being a bit dramatic.

Your further responses suggest to me that you are someone who is very uncomfortable with cognitive dissonance / find it hard to pretend to believe a lie in order to grease the wheels of communication.

That is of course a side effect of all the debate around sex and gender - people who struggle with conversations that are not based in fact, may end up finding even straightforward things like NHS feedback forms confusing and alienating.

R0wantrees

The next step that I can see being appropriate is to have both sex and gender identity on forms. Many will not fill in the second box (which would be their choice), but for safety (NHS etc), Equality Act and data accuaracy the first must be completed and can only have two options: male / female.

Thanks for your response. That makes sense to me and if that had been on the form I wouldn't have questioned it. I assume that it was an option considered by the people drafting the forms but discounted.

No issue with this, though of course transgender is not a sex.

Much much better than 'Gender: Male/Female' which it usually is.