Thread by @Sexnotgender_

Hi @CommissionerDA @EHRC @EHRCChair @KishwerFalkner @trussliz @GEOgovuk

I see you changed your survey on Domestic Violence today.

Yesterday, it had a question, "17 What is your gender? We refer to gender as what you identify as ...

homeofficesurveys.homeoffice.gov.uk/s/DAC-Independ… 1/13

...rather than your biological sex." with options:

Female
Male
Non-binary 2/13

This was followed by question 18 on something you label as 'trans history'. 3/13

You received numerous complaints about the lack of a question about the sex of the participant and the conflation of sex and gender. It was pointed out to you the importance of sex in Domestic Violence.

sex-matters.org/posts/updates/… 4/13

I note you have just changed your questions and now ask, "17 (a) What is your biological sex? By biological sex we mean the sex you were assigned at birth i.e. on your birth certificate." with options:

Female
Male 5/13

It's good to see that you have listened and now ask for the sex of respondents.

However, sex is not 'assigned' at birth: sex is observed and recorded. 6/13

Additionally, there will be a conflict for those who have obtained a Gender Recognition Certificate under the Gender Recognition Act 2004 because the sex shown on their birth certificare will be not that recorded at birth, ie not their (biological) sex. 7/13

You then ask "17 (b) What is your gender? We refer to gender as what you identify as rather than your biological sex, though this might be the same." with options:

Female
Male
Non-binary 8/13

Equating 'gender' with sex relies on demeaning, regressive stereotypical notions of societal roles for the two sexes, concepts with which I'm sure you would not wish to be associated. 9/13

Additionally, as female and male are the terms relating to the protected characteristic of sex (as in the Equality Act 2010), using them for a question on 'gender' can only be confusing, particularly when you have already used them (correctly) for your question on sex. 10/13

You then ask, "18. Do you consider yourself to be trans, or have a trans history? Trans is a term used to describe people whose gender is not the same as the biological sex they were assigned at birth." 11/13

Again, sex is not 'assigned' at birth and equating 'gender' with sex relies on demeaning, regressive stereotypical notions of societal roles for the two sexes, concepts with which I'm sure you would not wish to be associated. 12/13

Can I ask that you look again at the questions you ask and consider the purpose of collecting the information you do and how it will be processed?

Please respond.

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