Admittedly I am not an expert in the medical profession, although I am becoming more and more a financial supporter. I have observed in Doctor's offices, the "Gender: M [ ] F [ ]" is being replaced by "Gender: ____________". What rattled me was when I was doing a pre-admission to a hospital for a procedure, the admissions person (I thought was a woman, but who knows anymore) asked me which "Gender I identified with"? I couldn't ever remember being asked that question before and really really did not understand what it had to do with my procedure... which was nowhere near that "area". I crossed my legs, hunkered over, covered up and said male AND I would like to remain that way.
There is a PBS show that has aired many many times recently on their POV Program titled "Things We Dare Not Do." Defying gender norms, a 16-year-old in the Mexican coastal village of El Roblito grasps the courage to tell his parents he wants to live life as a woman. It's all in the wording. Ignoring reality, or [bravely] defying gender norms? Our tax dollars at work...