Stats NZ enters land of confusion

Commentary: According to Stuff;

A new gender option will be available in the collection and sharing of public information, and New Zealand is the first country to introduce it. The ‘gender diverse’ classification will be available when Statistics New Zealand collects and shares information. It represents those who see themselves as different from ‘male’ or ‘female’… While the term has been set as a gender standard for government organisations collecting and sharing information, it is not mandatory and is only recommended.

Statistics NZ will have same problem as Facebook. How do you define ‘gender’?

Statistics NZ has been captured by gender identity politics – but they’re going to realise just how difficult and confusing and subjective the issue is.

Statistics should deal as much as possible in actual measurable definable realities – not subjective standards with no measurement. In fact, the guidelines allow for multiple answers. So this year I’m male. Next year I’m female. The following year I’m both. The following year I’m unsure. (not surprisingly!)

Statistics NZ will never make these groups happy. Even gender identity activists are complaining and saying it’s problematic. Stats NZ also states that this is a standard and not mandatory for people to use – so how is it going to be applied? This leaves the standard open to ‘harmful misuse or misinterpretation’. Exactly.

But most concerning is that a government department is willing to push these types of statements as it tries to set guidelines:

* Gender identity is self-defined and not to be confused with sex; they are different concepts. We suggest that when you need to ask questions on both gender identity and sex, the sex question should precede gender identity.
* The ‘gender diverse not elsewhere classified’ (nec) category of level 2 in the classification contains specific responses that are infrequent or unanticipated such as non-binary.
* People may identify with more than one gender identity.

The government’s latest ‘trans action’ is just going to lead to confusion and make no-one happy.

“BOYS GIRLS OTHER”
Making Sense of the Confusing New World of Gender Identity