Monday 25 October 2010

Unanswerable question

      Today's missive: a big envelope from the GIC, a sort of induction pack for the new girls and boys. All the Useful Stuff you Need to Know, and a questionnaire. On it, a question that made me laugh.

Gender (Please tick the appropriate box):
Male
Female

    Y'what?

Male
Female

    Um... this is the Gender Identity clinic, right? You do know the level of debate that's going to cause?
So, do I do this?

Male
Female

This?

Male
Female

Or this?

Male
Female

Or even this?

Male
Female

    You will excuse me if I laugh at my personal version of a moment that is no doubt of extreme seriousness to some others faced with the same form. The alternative is to take it too seriously and be sent into another GD day and I'm sorry, I just can't help finding the question funny.
    In the end I ticked "Male". I wouldn't want to confuse the poor doctor when the very large scruffy bloke sits down opposite him. Or her?

15 comments:

  1. i would have left it blank or (for me) put male. they're such stupid questions anyway, if the dr can't figure it out by asking, they shouldn't be a doctor!

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  2. WTF are they on?!

    I would've drawn an extra box under the Male & Female boxes, and written my own description. I have done similar things where questionnaires have been unaccountably silly.

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  3. I have been screaming and crying at forms like that for a lifetime!

    What is the point of reference for ********'s sake?

    I too have spent a lifetime creating my own boxes or writing great screeds about where their questions have gone wrong.

    How long would you last in your job if you wrote software as poorly as this?

    Caroline xxx

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  4. I like the idea of a box being appropriate. There could have been an option to paint the box with the brightest colours in your paint set. Shame. Lost opportunity there.

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  5. I think you are falling into the trap of trying to imply common sense into GICs - normally the correlation isn't great.

    Yes, you'd think thats not the brightest question to ask. Its a bit like putting a physio clinic on the 4th floor with no lift.

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  7. I just can't beleive that they sent you a letter from their system, with all of your data available *with* that question... Did you need to give your name and address as well?

    Isn't that like calling someone and asking what their phone number is?

    Stace

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  8. Pure psychology........you should have simply ticked female. Now they think you are a male even though you may think otherwise. The big question is, ARE you male or female? They cannot tell just by looking at you now can they?
    Shirley Anne xxx

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  9. I think it's a case of someone cutting and pasting the standard equality questionnaire without much thought.

    I've never been one for annotating forms.

    Thinking outside the box for a moment, maybe I should have ticked outside both boxes.

    GICs and common sense, I think I'm fortunate in that respect in not going in with an expectation of what they can do for me. Less easy to be disappointed that way. On inappropriate locations, my first ever job had a disabled loo - in the basement.

    I do hope it's not a trick question, but I doubt it. If I ever get asked, I'll just look pityingly at the questioner and say "Well look at me, duh!".

    In view of the "I need help to stay this way" line I'm attempting to take I don't think there's much point overdoing the female presentation to try to prove I'm really worthy of their consideration.

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  10. Strewth, that has to be the daftest question they could possibly ask.

    Which is your GIC dya mind me asking, or did you say somewhere and I missed it?

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  11. Can't remember if I've said, but it's Charing Cross.

    Daft yes, but at least there's humour to be found in it.

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  12. Yeah both of us had a good laugh about it thanks to you.

    Urh, I think they'd send me to Charing Cross too. Haven't been to the Doc's yet. I should but I made a right ass of myself last visit. I'll blog on that not clutter your page up.

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  13. And...just how did you make those check marks? I started to check them and they actually "check".

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  14. Edit HTML, then the following:

    <input type="checkbox" name="gender"/> Male<br/>
    <input checked="checked" type="checkbox" name="gender"/> Female

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  15. Sorry Alex, I must have passed over your comment. Good luck with the doctor. The relief when finally you do come out with it is amazing.

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