Male & Female Boxes on Forms - How do you handle this?

[EchelonHunt]

The sometimes dreaded Male Female boxes on forms for medical, ID, bank statements, legal purposes, even signing up for an account on the internet. Luckily, there's been a few websites who are open enough to expand outside of the two options and even here at Susan's, you get the option to put your own identity in your own words which I think is very neat!

But what about dun dun dunnn... in real life? How does this impact on you? Do you get those boxes on your forms or do they include a Non-specified/Other option? I live in Perth, Australia and a majority of the medical/legal places only supply the two binary boxes. As far as I know, the only form I have seen that includes Non-specified is the passport form. I haven't checked to see whether the Birth Certificate form includes a Non-specified.

One day, I hope that there will be a universally recognized gender neutral marker, rather than Mrs, Miss or Mr. I know that Mx has been raised as a possible gender neutral marker but it's the step to get that that box legalized and placed onto all available forms that seems to be the issue. It would be having the law recognize there are people who exist outside the binary.

What are your thoughts? Do you have any experiences that are interesting and could add to the discussion? Please do tell!

[Jill F]

When I was first coming to grips with gender identity, I ID'd as androgyne/bigender.  There were a few forms where I remember checking both boxes.  What people made of it or not was their issue to deal with, not mine.

[suzifrommd]

When it's on paper, I either don't check a box, check both, or if they give a space to write in, I write a question mark.

For computer forms that require that I check one or the other, I get mad, jump up and down, rant to someone (or no one), kick something, and then sit down and check female. I have been known to abandon a form when they asked that if it wasn't something I absolutely had to.

[Azeri]

I generally just check my biological gender, though sometimes, it's what gender I'm feeling that day.

[speckyhailey]

In terms of medical I'd probably use my biological gender due to health with genetics etc. but would specify that I am transgender and therefore wish to present that way and also may have different health issues due to HRT etc.

[captains]

I check F on legal, medical, or career related forms, and M on polls, games, and account information (like at the gym, or for an online account ... like this one).

As a mixed race person, I'm used to the irritation of the ticky box, but that doesn't make it any less frustrating.

[Satinjoy]

I leave the stupid thing blank

[Shantel]

I've felt like writing in "all of the above" but really who cares? I just check the male box and think to hell with it! Five minutes from now what difference does it make?

[justpat]

  I was picked for Federal jury duty last March or April.  There was an extensive online form to fill out ,as I live outside of the normal area lodging would have to be provided as well as meals. I filled it out checked female signed it with Patty got all my dresses ready and what a bummer I did not get called, but it would have been nice to be on a jury as me ! I always check female or other if they have it.

[fairview]

Maybe this is an indication of age, evidence of how screwed up I was before x-hormone therapy or this is simply not a battle I chose to engage in, but in the scope of my live, this is below my threshold of concern to create any level of anxiety.  I just check the 'M' box and move on with the tedious form.  For me I look at it as choosing between being part of the forest of being a tree and I would prefer being part of the forest at that point.  Standing out as a tree so early in the interview process may be a warning for the potential employer.

Also since I tend to over think issues my concern is in the area of fraud.  Selecting anything other than your biological sex at the time of taking pen to the form could open a can of worms for the individual. 

[Taka]

i hate online forms that only have two options. if there is room for comments, i often ask for an "other" gender option.
unfortunately i only rarely fill in forms for the same thing twice.
for medical issues i'd choose female, but if a shrink were to ask... i'd refuse to answer either or.
i expect some kinds of people to be educated and sensitive.

my favorite forum has three othions, and the third is "not telling".
i like that one a whole lot.

[Shantel]

my favorite forum has three othions, and the third is "not telling".
i like that one a whole lot.

Me too!

[Ms Grace]

It amazes me that they even need to know, I mean apart from medical reasons and some forms of insurance what flipping difference does it make?

[Shantel]

It amazes me that they even need to know, I mean apart from medical reasons and some forms of insurance what flipping difference does it make?

Yes indeed, and along with that are all the boxes for ethnicity. What burns me is I can never find Caucasian, they always have a box that says White, but I'm not white, I am a pinkish sometimes tan Caucasian with freckles!   

[Sammy]

In paper forms, I just leave both of them blank - those are not the most important parts of any formulars anyway, so staff often overlooks that these are left out unfilled.

[Shantel]

In paper forms, I just leave both of them blank - those are not the most important parts of blanks anyway, so staff often overlooks that these are left out unfilled.

Probably the best idea so far!