Have to fill out an equalities form as ‘cis woman’ and not happy!

[Rejoiningperson]

I’ve just applied for a temporary job that I really want. However I am pretty cross that at the end of the form, the Equalities Monitoring Form has only one box I can tick, and I don’t agree with any of them. I’m pretty cross as their form means that they really have no idea whether women are being represented in their organisation or not. It says:

Are you:

Male (including both cis men and trans men)
Women (including both cis women and trans women)
Non Binary
Other

I’m a bit big on the accuracy of data, as this used to be part of my job. This equalities form breaks equality law doesn’t it? There might as well not be a question here. For example at the end of the year they could say that 80% of their organisation are women - but they could actually be men identifying as women. Crazy!

I want to leave the question blank. I do not identify as a cis woman. Or a trans woman. And circling it means nothing at all. As a woman I’m invisible.

Definitely would tick “other” as their definition of “woman” clearly isn’t your definition of that word. If you then get the job, as you have experience in this area, perhaps you will be in a position to point out their error.

I would leave it blank, OP, and hope that means they have to contact you to ask you to fill it in. Then you can let rip with both barrels…!

I would tick Other. I’m female, attracted to men, but I don’t identify as Cis or Trans. “Gender” is becoming increasingly restrictive & I want no part in it.

@MrsTerryPratchett

Women (including both cis women and trans women)

Imagine a Venn diagram. Big circle of Women. Inside that, two smaller circles of cis (those who choose to use that word) and trans. You are inside the big circle and outside the two smaller ones.

You've got your Venn diagram wrong. The options given are incoherent and inaccurate, because this is there's tVenn diagram:

"this is there's tVenn diagram", makes as much sense as the wording on that 'Equalities' form. It should read "this is the correct Venn diagram".

No, OP, it’s not just you findung it shocking. It’s just if they haven’t give you the option you have three choice„: not reply, reply something that is the closest tp the truth, i.e. Other or ask them to amend the form.

Ooops, sorry about the typos.

Anyway why is it

Male (including both cis men and trans men)
Women (including both cis women and trans women)

Surely that should be Male (albeit including a category of non men) or Female (albeit with category of non women)

Not Male or Women ?
And even if a person's pronouns are "they/them" they will still only be one woman (cis or trans). As in woman not women.

These monitoring forms are meant to be anonymous anyway so I'd either leave it blank or if it's online and demand a tick then go for other. You can't possibly be women however you identify (if you identify!).

I would tick Other. It’s their fault they aren’t then getting good data.

I think @JellySlice Venn diagram is the most accurate in terms of data - including the clown fish!

Thanks all. Makes me feel a little less crazy. Spent so many years accurately recording data in order to reduce and address inequalities.

I will tick Other or just leave blank. It’s attached to the application form (last page) which I was taught was a big No No as it takes away the anonymity if it’s stored and printed with the person’s name and details.

I hear you

I had this recently very irritating

I don’t want to click other

I want female

Anything that asks for my ‘Gender’ I tick Other

But I agree witb others, there should be an option for Sex and a seperate, optional gender identity box

There are no questions on sex - only on gender. Why is gender more important in equalities that’s sex? Why has sex disappeared? Don’t understand and have not read the evidence to back up this change.

It's entirely optional so don't complete any of it.

It has changed because people "think" it's inclusive

Your only option is to put other which if enough people do it will highlight the stupidity of it all

All transwomen identify as women and women as other should work

Tick women and get the job. I watched a documentary on some poor women who’s daughter was killed by a lorry whilst out cycling. After much campaigning and no progress, she bought shares in the lorry company, attended the AGM and took the stage. They had to hear her out, As a shareholder, and subsequently bought about the changes she wanted. Many women share your frustration, but you can’t force change from outside, you need to be imbedded within the organisation to challenge such women nonsense

I hear you. It's enforcing that women must be labelled as 'cis', which is a political statement confirming a specific political viewpoint. It's like having a box saying 'Religion' with options 'Sikh' 'Islam' and 'Christian' to choose from, with no mention of any other faiths or an option of atheist.

No. Either we respect all people's personal identities and chosen words equally, or it's not coming from genuinely inclusive values but a furthering of a specific political agenda involving forced participation in a belief.

Other, or blank.

Sex has disappeared due to advice given by advisory groups like Stonewall to companies stating that sex is unimportant in collecting data. Did you see any of the hoo hah around the census questions this year? Fairplay for Women managed to get a turnaround to require accurate sex data question inclusion, within days only of the census date.

@Thevoiceofreason2021

Tick women and get the job. I watched a documentary on some poor women who’s daughter was killed by a lorry whilst out cycling. After much campaigning and no progress, she bought shares in the lorry company, attended the AGM and took the stage. They had to hear her out, As a shareholder, and subsequently bought about the changes she wanted. Many women share your frustration, but you can’t force change from outside, you need to be imbedded within the organisation to challenge such women nonsense

Wow, she sounds like quite a woman. Horrible circumstances but I admire her tenacity.

I'd tick other.
I've already done it and added "woman" next to it or in the further details box if there is one.

@Thevoiceofreason2021

Tick women and get the job. I watched a documentary on some poor women who’s daughter was killed by a lorry whilst out cycling. After much campaigning and no progress, she bought shares in the lorry company, attended the AGM and took the stage. They had to hear her out, As a shareholder, and subsequently bought about the changes she wanted. Many women share your frustration, but you can’t force change from outside, you need to be imbedded within the organisation to challenge such women nonsense

Incredible woman and you’re right we should get the jobs and try to change it.

Tick ‘other’. It’s useless to them as data, but if enough people do it, then they will start having to make changes as data on mysterious non-gendered beings is useless. Eventually, they will realise that they need one question on sex and one on gender identity.

I wouldn't want to work there