I saw this posted somewhere else (can't remember where) and have had some time to think about it. Sometimes we Jews, as a community, generally speaking do things that those outside the community might not understand. For example a shul (AKA Temple, synagogue) will sell tickets to High Holy Day services. Now to outsiders this looks like forcing people to pay to worship on the most important holidays or the year. This is not the case and no one is turned away due to lack of funds, it is a way to get those who choose not to be members of the shul all year to support the community in some way. During conversion a person seeking to convert is often times turned away or pushed just to see how committed they are, since converting to Judaism is not required.
That being said I honestly, I can't come up with a good reason for it at all. I have looked for a halakic (Jewish Law) reason and I can't find anything. Now I am in no way an expert but I would think that once the conversion takes place it doesn't really matter what english name you have. All mitzvot that would require a name would use your new Hebrew name anyway. I would think a question about genitals would be more important since there would be a question of needing a circumcision or haf dam brit. Of course, if a person doesn't have a penis for what ever reason it is a moot point. Since this is suppose to have happened at a reform temple, I am even more confused since they hold that halakah isn't binding anyway. I am also confused that the person reporting this says reform synagogue then uses the term shul. Shul is more commonly used for orthodox or masorti. I am not saying that it did not happen exactly the way it is reported. I'm am just thinking that if in fact it was an orthodox or masorti shul and not reform that could explain oddness of the question.
Now having said all of that perhaps the rabbi there is just a jerk and none of what I said matters to them at all they are just nosy and using their position to "be in the know"
