Leah Rowe is not a Rowebot
I recently proposed this idea on IRC:
Instead of adding X as an option on passports, why not do:
""
That is to say: remove gender markers entirely. Don't do "M/F". Don't do "M/F/X". Instead, do: ""
Nobody gets a legal gender. Your doctor only needs to know what anatomy you have, for medical treatments and such. This would remove a lot of the bureaucratic bloat, and might be nice for intersex people for example.
I'm non-binary myself, but often find pronouns cringe. I'm just Leah. Leah Rowe.
Leah Rowe is not a Rowebot
I realise that in the context of the current gender-binary-based legal systems of the world, many trans people have to fight to be recognised - as either a binary gender, as as non-binary. And many struggles have been fought over it.
So like. Someone who got their F on their passport might not like simply removing all markers entirely. I have an F on my passport, and it bothers the hell out of me.
But mentally I'm sometimes F! So X would be wrong. M felt more wrong; I usually feel more like X.
Leah Rowe is not a Rowebot
also, and i won't say who, but someone i recently spoke to proposed another idea; although not yet tested in courts to either of our knowledge, article 16 of the GDPR might be possible to use, to force courts in european countries to provide x marker on passports (or leave the gender field blank).
i'm actually eligible for irish passport so i might consider getting an X passport :S (ireland allows X marker)
then i can use my british F passport when I feel like it, and irish X when appropriate.
Rich Felker
@libreleah I could see this potentially being a disappointment for folks who fought for recognition, but I'm still in full agreement. The *whole purpose* of sex or gender on ID documents is to allow authorities checking for a match to police gender norms and treat someone who doesn't match those norms as suspicious of using an ID that's not theirs.
Leah Rowe is not a Rowebot
@dalias it'd sort of be like when aspergers syndrome got re-classified as autism spectrum or "high functioning autism". i know a lot of aspies were disappointed and still call themselves aspies.
culture however is another matter entirely, and of course there would still be gender at the cultural level. it's pretty deeply ingrained in all of us. gender as a cultural concept is pretty much not set in stone though.
for example in thailand, there is the "third gender": https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kathoey
Rich Felker
@libreleah That's really cringe because it was named after a literal OG nazi who was responsible for pathologizing non-NT people.
Leah Rowe is not a Rowebot
@dalias Admittedly a poor example, but the point is that the law is just that: the law. Culture always comes first, in every day practise.
Idk, the average person probably wouldn't care less. Removing markers on official paperwork would make life easier for trans people though, and intersex. Just remove gender as a legal concept in its entirety.
Your doctor would still make notes of your anatomy when you're born. They can see what parts you're made of. This is medically necessary information.
Rich Felker
@libreleah Exactly.
tom jennings
I'm a cis gay man and I've never understood why gender is on public records at all. Totally agree with you.
If gender has never been on eg. public records we'd probably still have problems with gender in our stupid culture, but the arguments for m f or whatever on them would be mooted.
For the record I'm 100 percent behind the idea that everyone has absolute right to self determination and definition. And I say it out loud anywhere.
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