(no subject)

[redbird]

I just got an email recruiting subjects for paid "medical conditions research." (I get a bunch of these, and every few years I match what they're looking for and get paid to answer questions.) The survey dropped me after three questions, when I said I haven't been diagnosed with osteoporosis.

What interests me is that the second question, after age, was "What is the gender on your birth certificate?" with options male, female, and prefer not to say. Usually this company asks simply "what is your gender?" Given that they're interested in osteoporosis, I would guess they're asking for gender "on your birth certificate" because exposure to sex hormones is relevant, and they think that maps onto gender assigned at birth.

Aside from the possible cissexism here, that question may not get the researchers the information I think they're looking for, because some trans* people have corrected birth certificates that show their actual gender rather than what was assigned at birth. (I am guessing the author of the survey was trying not to offend people, since they didn't ask about "biological" gender.)

Comments

[gatheringrivers]

Is "biological gender" considered offensive, then?

[quartzpebble]

The term is somewhat incoherent, as it carries the implication that trans people's bodies become non-biological through transition, and that cis-standard anatomy is more "biologically real" than trans bodies. "Biological sex" is a mashup of a lot of features, including anatomy, hormones, and chromosomes, and they may or may not all line up neatly. This article lays out the complications pretty well: https://www.nature.com/news/sex-redefined-1.16943

[erik]

If "Have you been diagnosed with osteoporosis?" combs you out, why start with gender questions first?

[redbird]

A lot of online surveys start with age and then gender for everything, including surveys where gender seems a lot less relevant than to this. Women are significantly more likely than men to have osteoporosis, but not everyone with osteoporosis is female (or AFAB).

[flippac]

Trans women who don't produce T and lose access to HRT are significantly more likely as well. It used to be one of the "OMG, transition is so dangerous!" horror stories.

[erik]

Right, but I mean they're specifically looking for osteoporosis sufferers. Lead with "Do you suffer from osteoporosis?" If they do, then start with the gender questions.