Mental health programme asking if I identify as female

[Mermoose]

My GP recently referred me to an online support programme for anxiety. I got the link to it today and went to sign up, and one of the first questions was what gender I most closely identify with - male, female, or other/prefer not to say. You had to choose one to continue, there was no question for what sex you are and no option to say you reject the concept of identifying as one sex or the other.

Everyone losing their mind and adopting this surreal belief system has been a huge source of anxiety for me over the last few years. I'd laugh at the irony of being forced to go along with it to access help for my anxiety, if it didn't make me feel completely deflated.

I have been referred to the continence service and one of the first questions asked is what is your gender?
Again, nothing about your sex.
Just exasperated by this nonsense especially in a medical setting. Have to go through the form with a nurse over the phone for assessment and wonder if I can be brave enough to say Sex Not gender.

Please, both OP and PP, contribute these examples to the Alice Sullivan-led consultation: here is the link, Strand 1. Both really important examples - anxiety related to gender identity worsened by the data gathering; and continence collecting gender data when knowing a patient's sex is so crucial to continence issues.

https://www.ucl.ac.uk/ioe/departments-and-centres/departments/social-research-institute/research/review-data-statistics-and-research-sex-and-gender

I'm sorry this is happening to you. I'd definitely go with the "prefer not to say" option. Then decide whether to explain or not if you are asked.

I'm sorry, OP. It really is a kick in the teeth.

Wow. Please please mention this to any adult humans you come across during the process, even the 'prefer not to say' is making you lie. And please don't hold back on the point of what you are explaining (how this unwanted false language is adding to your anxiety), we are in a crazy situation that we must not go along with.

And if it's possible to mention this to the GP please do, it's the quiet interloping bl**dy nature of this which is so infuriating. The GP won't have any idea as you know but we must mention this sh!t