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Feminism: Sex and gender discussions

Arghhhh my workplace has fallen......

88 replies

Pineapplemonkey · 17/02/2022 13:52

So as part of LBGTQI+ (did I get all the right letters in the right order?!) history month all staff have been sent this:

C is for Cisgender – describes a person whose gender identity is the same as their sex assigned at birth.

G is for Gender – gender is a social construction relating to behaviours and attributes based on labels of masculinity and femininity; gender identify is personal, internal perception of oneself and so the gender category someone identifies with may not match the sex they were assigned at birth.

G is for Gender expansive – a person with a wider, more flexible range of gender identity and/or expression than typically associated with the binary gender system. Often used as an umbrella term when referring to young people still exploring the possibilities of their gender expression and/or gender identity.

G is for Gender expression – external appearance of one’s gender identity, usually expressed through behaviour, clothing, body characteristics or voice, and which may or may not conform to socially defined behaviours and characteristics typically associated with being either masculine or feminine.

G is for Gender fluid – a person who does not identity with a single fixed gender or has a fluid or unfixed gender identity.

G is for Gender non-conforming – a broad term referring to people who do not conform to the traditional expectations of their gender, or whose gender expression does
not fit neatly into a category. While many also identify as trans, not all gender non-conforming people do.

N is for Non-binary – an adjective describing a person who does not identify exclusively within the gender binary. Non-binary people may identify as being both a man and a woman, somewhere in between, or as falling completely outside these categories. While many also identify as trans, not all non-binary people do. Non-binary can also be used as an umbrella term encompassing identities such as agender, bigender, genderqueer or gender-fluid.

O is for Outing – exposing someone’s lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, or gender non-binary identity to others without their permission. Outing someone can have serious repercussions on employment, economic stability, personal safety or religious or family situations.

P is for Pansexual – describes someone who has the potential for emotional, romantic, or sexual attraction to people of any gender though not necessarily simultaneously, in the same way or to the same degree.

Q for Questioning – a term used to describe people who are in the process of exploring their sexual orientation or gender identity.

S is for Same-gender loving – a term some prefer to use instead of lesbian, gay or bisexual to express attraction to and love of people of the same gender.

S is for Sex – Sex refers to the biological aspects of an individual as determined by their anatomy, chromosomes, and hormones, and is assigned at birth based on a baby’s physical characteristics.

T is for Transitioning – a series of processes that some transgender people may undergo to live more fully as their true gender. This typically includes social transition, such as changing name and pronouns, medical transition, which may include hormone therapy or gender affirming surgeries, and legal transition, which may include changing legal name and sex on government identify documents. Trans people may choose to undergo some, all, or none of these processes.

T is for Trans – an umbrella term for people whose gender identity is not the same as the sex they were assigned at birth. Being trans is different from sexual orientation and a trans person can identify as straight, gay, lesbian, bisexual, in the same way as a cisgender person.

Now I've finished shouting my rage at my computer screen I'm debating how and to who I need to complain to.........god help us all Hmm

Now I'm off to the bookies- £50 says next weeks all staffer is about pronouns.

OP posts:
OneEpisode · 17/02/2022 14:01

I think that’s useful to you actually, I especially enjoyed the “same gender loving” bit which isn’t in the standard.
The only thing it was missing was the reminder to only use bi+ because saying “bi-sexual” is hateful to all the nbs…
I might print it out and highlight the bit which said “trans people may choose to undergo … none of these processes.”

FebruaryRainandSleet · 17/02/2022 14:05

So they've taken 'LGBTQI' and then said G stands for many varieties of gender rather than for Gay?

Wtfdoipick · 17/02/2022 14:07

Make a note of o and q and throw them back at them when they start the pronoun shit

refreshingseahorse · 17/02/2022 14:10

(In my dream world where I have no financial obligations) I would reply with UNSUBSCRIBE in the header.

HelloCrocus · 17/02/2022 14:11

Argh, I wrote a long post and lost it.

Basically - the LGBT network probably asked the Internal Comms team for a slot. Sit down with the Director of Communications (or whoever) and ask how content is chosen and approved, pointing out a few phrases from the email which are clearly faith-based positions. Ask who the reader should take the message to be from - are these all company-endorsed positions? If so, who should you talk to about it - HR? (At this point they might get a bit nervous, unless they themselves are a true believer).

I then had some snarky thoughts about asking if you could proselytise about your religion in the next newsletter - e.g. "how we should all observe Lent"/"Ramadan" etc - but that was just to make the point, and my hilarious satire is lost to history.

IntermittentParps · 17/02/2022 14:16

I'd write a breezy reply along the lines of 'Any action required?'

justaftb · 17/02/2022 14:22

It's this kind of nonsense at work that turned me from being 'be kind' to a proud TERF. It speaks only to the converted and possibly converts a few fence sitters to GC. A male colleague was recently given company-wide time to tell us he is a woman AND a lesbian and how dating is so difficult for him.... Can you imagine any other straight male being given a platform at work (5000+ employees) to tell his colleagues that women are really fussy and won't date him?! I'm sure the actual lesbians in the company felt great being called out for their "genital preference"...

Witheringtong · 17/02/2022 14:24

They've fallen so far they're below ground level at this point.

Athomewiththehales89 · 17/02/2022 14:30

@justaftb I think I know where you work I also died at this 🙄

Sittingonabench · 17/02/2022 14:32

At least they acknowledge sex is an actual thing based on biology - the way things are going that may actually be a win as it seems people are trying to eradicate it simply be ignoring its existence.
Interesting that they don’t provide a definition of man or woman…

FunnyTalks · 17/02/2022 14:39

This belief system relies so heavily on the assumption that most people over 30 are the literal stereotype of a woman or man! It would be hilarious if it didn't wield so much dangerous power.

However, my first thought was that there's absolutely no way they can make you put pronouns in your email signature after this. There's so much you can quote, from "outing" and various bits about gender ID being personal.

My second thought is that an unforseen outcome of gender ideology being brought to the masses (and not just kids and universities) must surely be an outbreak of gender confusion in middle aged women. I mean it is such a genuinely turbulent time for women, so much more so than men. We're often caring for both the young and the old, whilst attempting to cling onto a career that would happily employ only penis people, and menopause lurking around the corner. Perhaps you didn't know you were allowed an identity yourself! After reading this helpful list, you find yourself highly gender confused (as you sure as fuck don't identify with being sidelined at work or an unpaid carer) and in need of some time off?

justaftb · 17/02/2022 14:40

@Athomewiththehales89 - if it is the same workplace, good to know I wasn't the only person dying inside at this, and if it's not, bloody hell, is this something that is happening with regularity in companies?! I do despair.

Pineapplemonkey · 17/02/2022 14:44

My company is 85% women, anyone wanna take a guess on the sex of the person who sent this out?!

Among many many issues, it's the being assigned at birth shit that narks me the most

@HelloCrocus oddly that was on my list of points to discuss with the MD (should I be brave enough of course!) Are we going to get a talk on religion or politics in future weeks? Seems equally as inappropriate/unprofessional to my mind as this nonsense

OP posts:
AdmiralCain · 17/02/2022 14:46

If someone wants to believe gender is a social construct, I'll respect their beliefs. I believe it's a biological construct, I hope they respect my beliefs.

Iamnotamermaid · 17/02/2022 14:47

Call me old fashioned and a bit stuck in my ways but to me gender/sex preference should be left at the door of the workplace. We are all there to do a job, regardless of who or what we feel like identifying as that day. Just get the name right, treat everyone in a respectful and professional manner, and crack on with the job in hand. Why do I need to know if someone is trans/non binary/fluid/pan if all I need is for them to do their job.

IstayedForTheFeminism · 17/02/2022 14:48

@FebruaryRainandSleet

So they've taken 'LGBTQI' and then said G stands for many varieties of gender rather than for Gay?
I'll have to tell DS1 that he is no longer part of the lgbt+ community as G doesn't stand for gay Wink
NutsOhHazelnuts · 17/02/2022 14:52

@justaftb

It's this kind of nonsense at work that turned me from being 'be kind' to a proud TERF. It speaks only to the converted and possibly converts a few fence sitters to GC. A male colleague was recently given company-wide time to tell us he is a woman AND a lesbian and how dating is so difficult for him.... Can you imagine any other straight male being given a platform at work (5000+ employees) to tell his colleagues that women are really fussy and won't date him?! I'm sure the actual lesbians in the company felt great being called out for their "genital preference"...

What has it to do with work? Is it relevant?*

*I already know the answers.

SamphiretheStickerist · 17/02/2022 14:54

@refreshingseahorse

(In my dream world where I have no financial obligations) I would reply with UNSUBSCRIBE in the header.
Yes. 🤣😈
HelloCrocus · 17/02/2022 14:54

I just noticed that it's written as an "ABC", but with only a few letters, most of which are G. This seems to be typical of the incoherent and senseless style of this flavour of agitprop.

(I just read an article by Kate Clanchy on sensitivity readers. She gave many examples of the feedback they had given her. By God, they are a thick lot).

SamphiretheStickerist · 17/02/2022 14:55

I too yearn for the days when all work ever got of you was your labour.

HelloCrocus · 17/02/2022 14:57

@Pineapplemonkey brilliant that you have the ear of the MD. Hope they are sensible.

Love the "UNSUBSCRIBE" suggestion Grin

NutsOhHazelnuts · 17/02/2022 15:00

USUBSCRIBE is brilliant. Grin

justaftb · 17/02/2022 15:02

@SamphiretheStickerist

I too yearn for the days when all work ever got of you was your labour.
Me too. Please do not bring your 'whole self to work'. I just want to meet 'work' you at work, the one who answers my emails in a timely fashion and lets me know when they don't know something rather than beating around the bush because they can't admit they don't know.
FemaleAndLearning · 17/02/2022 15:09

On a site our company is signed up to I've been reading how bisexuality is about fancying both genders. Makes my blood boil.

TofuDelights · 17/02/2022 15:10

Crocus, do you have a link to that article please? Sounds interesting! Thanks.