Sex and gender

From the Times – Doctors who mix up sex and gender ‘put patients at risk’

Doctors who deliberately confuse sex and gender are putting the treatment of some patients at risk, suggests research.

It says sex and gender are not the same and medical staff who do not make the distinction could make treatments for groups such as transgender patients ineffective or inappropriate.

Recognising the difference is “critical” for good health care and medical professionals need to ask the right questions or errors could be made that will lead to “avoidable harm”.

The study, published in the British Medical Journal, has been led by senior medical researchers at St Andrews University with decades of experience in gender and sex issues.

It says a distinction between sex and gender is made by the World Health Organisation, with sex relating to biology and gender to societal roles but, the researchers conclude, current medical practice often uses the two terms interchangeably….

Dr Margaret McCartney, of St Andrews University’s medical school, said: “There are many instances of sex and gender being confused by the research community and society more broadly.

“Unless we identify and count categories correctly, we will end up with errors which serve all populations poorly, including minority populations.”

Researchers say sex relates to biology: chromosomes, hormones, and reproductive cells and organs. Gender relates to a sense of self, behaviours and expectations that may conflict with biological sex and may vary over time.

Well indeed. A trans man, for instance – identified as male by gender – still has a cervix. And that cervix can still develop cancer, however strongly the individual may believe in his new gender identity. That's what's known as biological essentialism – and, medically, it matters.

Unfortunately the Times reporter falls into the trap:

Problems can arise in the appropriate treatment of transgender patients who may be on long-term hormone therapy with oestrogen or testosterone to change their biological sex.

Um…no. Their biological sex doesn't change. It can't change. More biological essentialism, I'm afraid.