Scientific journal asking for authors' gender

[ehtelp]

When submitting a paper to a scientific journal recently I was asked to specify my gender. The options were male, female, non-binary, and prefer not to say. For context this journal is published by the UK 'professional body and learned society' of a very male-dominated scientific field.

I emailed the journal to regarding this, and have received an unsatisfying reply from the 'Research Integrity & Inclusion Manager' (both below). Any suggestions on how to proceed please? (In retrospect my original email could have been better worded.)

My email:

When submitting a paper to Journal X, I have been asked to update my personal details, and in particular to state whether my gender is male, female, non-binary or 'prefer not to say'.

Gender is not a synonym for sex. My biological sex is female. I do not have a gender identity. This is not covered by any of the answers in the drop down menu.

The protected characteristics under the Equality Act 2010 are sex and gender reassignment, not gender.

If you wish to collect data regarding protected characteristics, you should ask separate questions regarding sex and gender.

Response:

Thank you for sharing your thoughts.

We chose our words carefully, and were guided by literature from the Office for National Statistics (ONS), the World Health Organization (WHO) and UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). All of the above define the term "gender identity" and clearly differentiate between sex and gender. The term "gender identity" was first used in 1964 by Robert Stoller, who asserted that it refers to "an individual’s personal concept about their gender and how they feel inside", and may be different to their biological sex. We have chosen to collect data on gender identity, rather than sex, in order to be inclusive of social constructions of gender. We do not say anywhere that we are collecting data regarding protected characteristics.

Well my immediate response is to restate that you don’t have a gender identity and ask them to add that to their drop down. They are obviously collecting the information for some reason so they think it is so important. Therefore you can truthfully answer, ‘I don’t have one!’. Even sexual orientation has ‘Asexual’ as an option.

What's the point of collecting gender info?

I believe under GDPR they need to have a valid business reason to collect this data. You could enquire what the reason is.

Details of GDPR lawful basis for collection of data is detailed here
ico.org.uk/for-organisations/guide-to-data-protection/guide-to-the-general-data-protection-regulation-gdpr/lawful-basis-for-processing/

What does being "inclusive of social constructions of gender" even mean, ffs?

I'd point out the importance of collecting data on sex in a male dominated field. I would remind them that they may not want to collect data on protected characteristics but they will have a hard time defending a discrimination claim if they don't.

If they are exercising public functions they may be subject to the public sector equality duty. They will not be able to comply with that duty if they don't collect data on protected characteristics.

In order to be inclusive of social constructions of gender

What does that mean?

Whoops snap TheCuriousMonkey

I'd also ask why a "research identity and inclusion manager" is excluding women.

Integrity, not identity.

You managed to say it without the swearing , thingybob.

Yes, I would like to hear their reasons and how they expect to use this data meaningfully.

Well - its lovely that of them to be in support of a social construction that just happens to maintain the status quo of males in a male dominated field isn't it.

I would write back and ask them how they reconcile this with the inclusion of women as a sex based class.

Dicks.

in order to be inclusive of social constructions of gender

I would say that by being inclusive of "social constructions of gender" they are aggregating sex and gender, when they claim the opposite. They are not offering an individual the opportunity to disaggregate themselves from the concept of gender. By being inclusive of gender, they are being exclusionary of the material reality (and consequences thereof) of biological sex, meaning those consequences are disregarded.

Thanks all.

I was thinking of taking the "why? GDPR" approach, so thanks for the confirmation that this is sensible (and in particular WhatWozZat for the link).

I hadn't thought of TheCuriousMonkey's 'public sector equality duty' line. I'll investigate whether that applies here, ready for if (when...) I escalate this.

I'm trying to take a calmly rational approach, rather than screaming "do you really think the small number of women in this field are overloaded with admin and pastoral duties, and sometimes harrassed, because of a feeling in our heads!?"

It all read quite well until
We have chosen to collect data on gender identity, rather than sex, in order to be inclusive of social constructions of gender

I would ask them that given that the field has a clearly sex based problem of inclusion (insert reference if you can find one/several) what they are doing to support the inclusitivity of women (sex class)?

Thank you BahHumbygge.

Have you any advice on how to answer the question which has come up for me on several occasions recently including hospital records and a police crime report. Obviously I've had a moan about not believing in gender and shouldnt they ask for the protected characteristic of sex but I'm usually forced to fill in something. Often I've ticked non binary but am never sure if this is an own goal or not?

Good that he helpfully tried to explain gender to you, as obviously if you don't buy into the theory you clearly just haven't yet been re-educated.

Well done for challenging, OP.

Admiring your calm rational approach. I think I'd need to walk round the block a few times to cool off before answering. Obviously I'm not so good at that must be on my period.

I would say it depends on the format of the form... if paper you can cross out "gender" and put sex. Likewise if there's a free form text box on an electronic form you could put something like "sex: female".

If the options are limited on a drop down electronic form, you're always going to be in a "heads I win, tails you lose" situation as it's a loaded question in favour of the precedence of gender over sex. Probably "prefer not to say" is the best option, but then you're disaggregating yourself from the category female. Challenge it if you feel able. I did something really simple last year (registering with a new dental surgery) and I didn't feel brave enough to cross out "gender" on the form, even though I've been following this debate for years. Weigh up pragmatically how you feel about "outing" your gender critical views according to context.

Thanks BahHumbygge, I'm old enough not to care what anyone thinks and was amused by the looks I got from both the PC and my hubby when I identified as a 'self defined, non-binary' victim of crime (prefer not to say wasn't an option in that case)

They say they've chosen to collect data on gender identity rather than sex, but effectively they are conflating and confusing the two. Recognizing the reality of your sex is not the same as identifying as a gender. Most people do the former, but it's far from clear how many people do the latter. I've not seen a form which gives a clear option for people who accept the reality of their sex but reject gender choices, though I think that's actually how many (most?) people feel. Options like non-binary or agender are not adequate as they seem to imply a refusal to acknowledge sex.

OP - did the form have questions about other 'protected characteristics'?

"prefer not to answer" is not good enough either, as it implies that you're withholding information.

You said the form asked for gender. They said they are asking for gender identity.
You could suggest they change it to 'gender identity' as a lot of people with think they are asking for 'sex' when they apparently aren't.
And yes, ask for a 'don't have a gender identity' option.
Why don't they want to know about sex?

@AskDan

OP - did the form have questions about other 'protected characteristics'?

No.

Yes, as app said, if they want to know about gender identity and not sex, then they need to say “gender identity” (and perhaps explain what it is) as otherwise those not familiar with the difference will assume they mean sex and provide the wrong information. Agree also that they need a “do not have a gender identity” category.