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Feminism: Sex and gender discussions

Gender identity on application form

31 replies

TangoWhiskeyAlphaTango · 12/06/2021 07:59

I need to register my interest in regards to a career change I wish to make. I want to be successful, this is important to me and why I am posting.

One question is:

GENDER IDENTITY
Which of the following describes how you think of yourself?
Man
Trans Man
Trans Woman
Woman
Prefer to Self describe (with an explanation box)
Prefer not to say.

I don't know what to put, I reject the notion of gender but in reality will this just immediately make me ineligible and should I tick Woman?

OP posts:
Bryonyshcmyony · 12/06/2021 08:00

I'd be so annoyed that Woman is bottom of the list I'd tick Prefer Not To Say.

toffeebutterpopcorn · 12/06/2021 08:01

Prefect not to say I guess. Will the culture be ‘that type’ though when you get there?

ButterflyBitch · 12/06/2021 08:03

Are they legally allowed to ask this question?

Bryonyshcmyony · 12/06/2021 08:04

I'd actually be tempted to tick transwoman, you'd definitely get the job.

toffeebutterpopcorn · 12/06/2021 08:06

I wonder how they justify the relevance of this question?

FOJN · 12/06/2021 08:06

You could write female in the self describe box.

It is annoying though. If it's a public sector organisation and an equalities monitoring form then they are failing in their Public Sector Equality Duty because gender identity is not a protected characteristic.

toffeebutterpopcorn · 12/06/2021 08:08

Man and woman isn’t gender anyway surely? It’s sex.

Sexnotgender · 12/06/2021 08:08

Is there another question on sex or is this the only one to let them know the sex of the applicant?

Bryonyshcmyony · 12/06/2021 08:09

I normally cross out gender and write sex but if you want the job just tick woman.

Theeyeballsinthesky · 12/06/2021 08:09

As it’s a work thing that’s very important to you, I’d tick prefer not to say. Im wondering what will happen to organisations monitoring stats if a lot of women just tick “prefer not to say” to everything

Warmduscher · 12/06/2021 08:12

Is it an online form and is the question compulsory? If yes I’d tick “prefer not to say”.

If it’s a paper form I’d leave that question blank. Ticking any option makes it look like you agree gender identity is (a) a thing and (b) anyone else’s business.

EastWestWhosBest · 12/06/2021 08:13

You’ve got to wonder why they ask. What difference does it make? I can’t think of a single job where being trans would make a scrap of difference. I would tick ‘prefer not to say’ as something of a fuck you.

toffeebutterpopcorn · 12/06/2021 08:16

I have not applied for jobs where they don’t ask sex yet have a whole raft of potential options for ‘gender’. If that’s their culture, not for me.

My sister went to work in a place that is notorious for this. She is gay and assumed (back then - her old office had unisex loos and she knew that I hate that but was ‘oooh it’s like Ally MaBeal!’) that I was just being a boring old bag about these things (I mentioned that it was wokesville).

Her last comment on work was an expletive ladened one about ‘woke’ culture, whining cry babies and people who are bad at their jobs crying victimhood if queried (and that they wouldn’t last five minutes in another company).

Now she has seen it first hand she is pretty much gobsmacked by how this has played out.

TeenMinusTests · 12/06/2021 08:17

@EastWestWhosBest

You’ve got to wonder why they ask. What difference does it make? I can’t think of a single job where being trans would make a scrap of difference. I would tick ‘prefer not to say’ as something of a fuck you.
I think there are lots of jobs where it makes a difference:
  • bra measurer in M&S
  • breast screening nurse
  • support worker in a DV centre
Basically any job where sex based exclusions might be legal under the equalities act.
elfycat · 12/06/2021 08:18

I might tick other and specify something like 'non-gendered'.

They'll think you're on the gender spectrum somewhere in the middle so non-binary. But what you've actually said is that you don't do gender.

whiteroseredrose · 12/06/2021 08:24

Self describe - sex female. Gender - not a clue

TangoWhiskeyAlphaTango · 12/06/2021 08:27

Thank you, this is an online compulsory question, there is no sex based question and it is only to register interest so I'm particularly Hmm about it.

I did wonder if putting non gendered might bolster my application but will probably go prefer not to say

OP posts:
Loveluella · 12/06/2021 08:31

The data on application forms would not be used to select who gets the job. It's anonymised and used to monitor the diversity of the business and to ensure there is fairness in the process.

The data wouldn't be linked to you so you can put whatever you feel comfortable with

Asking the questions doesn't necessarily tell you the kind of culture of the business though. In my experience this stuff is often asked to show they're inclusive but there's little effort put into following that through, so may be more 'tick box' than indicative of their culture internally

BreatheAndFocus · 12/06/2021 08:48

I’d tick the self-describe box and write in “I don’t have a gender identity” or “No gender identity”.

Prefer not to Say still gives the impression you have one, and if you don’t have one and don’t subscribe to the ideology then I think you shouldn’t prop it up, if you get what I mean.

DinosaurDiana · 12/06/2021 08:53

If you want the job, answer the question.

Clymene · 12/06/2021 08:57

@TeenMinusTests - M&S employ a transwoman as a bra measurer in their Parthenon store so sex based exclusions are less important to them than they are to you

TeenMinusTests · 12/06/2021 09:08

[quote Clymene]@TeenMinusTests - M&S employ a transwoman as a bra measurer in their Parthenon store so sex based exclusions are less important to them than they are to you[/quote]
Um. Well, maybe M&S care more about being inclusive to transwomen than they do to women?

toffeebutterpopcorn · 12/06/2021 09:09

Trans woman in ladies clothing/undies dept to two stores near my office.

Signalbox · 12/06/2021 09:28

I do a lot of survey's that have this question. If there is a free text box I just write "I don't have a gender identity".

Clymene · 12/06/2021 10:13

I think they probably do @TeenMinusTests. Personally I would feel deeply uncomfortable which is one of the many reasons I don't buy underwear at M&S

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