How to respond: been asked what sex I was assigned at birth

[Needapadlockonmyfridge]

I recently signed up to have blood tests privately (vitamin levels etc).

On the health questionnaire, one of the questions asked what sex I was assigned at birth.

Scientific company should surely do better than this. Not sure it is worth flagging up with them. I suppose, at least they didn't ask gender, but still.... Disappointing.

Honestly I'd put a line through assigned and write observed. This nonsense pisses me off.

I'd find another healthcare provider!

Unfortunately I have already paid up.

I am minded to email them but don't know if IBU or overthinking this. But it did jump out at me.

Edit: sorry have quoted thd wrong post - this was in response to "find another health care provider":)

It's on an app with the two choices so I can't register my eye roll that way unfortunately!

I'd email them and ask them to explain what it means

They'll probably have a feedback form, I'd put my complaint about the language on that

Email them - we need to keep challenging this bullshit.

Thank you.
I wondered if I was overreacting but it rankles.
I will email them.

Assigned by whom?

You might hope that a medical company would be aware that sex is observable in the womb from very early on. But maybe gender scans are all a complete fabrication, who knew?

Yes that's what I would do.

Sex scans

OP is there no option to write in it - sex is not assigned at birth. Is it a drop down box or something?

What if it's a masculine woman who prefers stereotypical male clothing and haircuts and on the surface appears male but identifies as female still? You can't always observe gender

'assigned' or 'observed' precede 'at birth'.

Sorry, I don’t understand the question. Why are you upset? I work in healthcare communications so here’s the background.

1. Lots of people, when asked their sex, give the gender they identify as instead
2. Blood test results can have different ranges applicable to those born either male or female
3. That confusion between what gender someone has told them and the sex-specific results can lead clinicians to give incorrect advice or make the wrong treatment decisions.

So…why? Why are you upset they want to know? It’s not about you…it’s about making sure that someone with a cervix who identifies as male doesn’t get ruled out for cervical cancer because they haven’t flipping told the doctor they have one.

What am I missing here?

You could look at the dictionary definition of 'assign' for inspiration. I just did, and the definitions involve picking, choosing etc so basically human agency is involved. It did strike me when I was looking though, that the gender ideologues have introduced this terminology so they can normalise gender reassignment. After all, that's only putting two more letters in front of assignment: easy no? See how easy it is to reassign your sex!

But the truth is that no human agency or choice is involved. Sex is determined at conception by chromosomal make up. The midwife recognises the genital configuration (not rocket science) and pronounces accordingly. We all know this.

So what can you do? If there's a free text box, you could write them a little essay about the error of their ways. Or, as others have said, email them about their idiocy. But please do it because each such email is so important.

Assigned by your genetics at birth. Your genetic code assigns you either an X and a Y chromosome or two X chromosomes and they determine your sex. It is assigned to you at birth, even if you choose to identify another way as you grow older.

@LaughingCat - you are missing the ridiculous concept of the 'assignment' of sex. See my previous post. Lots of people do not give the 'gender they identify as' at all, unless you work in an area that serves a particularly insane woke student crowd or something. Most people don't consider 'gender identity' at all or even know what's meant by it. Most of us just know what sex we are.

Laughing cat - you need to learn what assign actually means.

I don’t know if I should be scared by the fact that so many posters on this seem to think that a baby has no sex until its born !

Sex is determined at conception.

The use of 'gender assigned at birth' is an ideological phrase intended to suggest that sex is malleable, and that HCPs are in charge of 'assigning' a gender, rather than observing sex.

You answer the question. Really not hard. But you don't want to hear that, obviously.

Are you sure you work in healthcare communications?

I work in healthcare communications so here’s the background.

You work in healthcare communications and you think babies acquire a sex when born? You're just messing with us, aren't you?

Well said