New gender category ‘problematic’

Radio NZ News 18 July 2015
The term ‘gender diverse’ is being introduced as a category to encompass people who do not identify as either male or female.

Family First national director Bob McCoskrie said he was questioning the reasoning behind the move, as it only fuelled gender-identity politics.

“I’ve seen even trans advocate group say that it’s open to harmful misuse or misinterpretation, so when those groups themselves are saying that it’s problematic, then I think Statistics NZ are going to realise just how problematic the whole issue is.”

He said Statistics New Zealand should stick to what is objective and measurable, namely male and female categories only.

Auckland trans activist Jennifer Shields said in a blog post published yesterday that the new standard, which gives transgender people the option to identify further as ‘transgender male to female’ or ‘transgender female to male’, risked otherising transgender people.

“It will capture data on the non-binary population relatively well, but is insufficient for capturing actual data on gender identity overall. It also relies on terminology many in the community refuse to use.”
http://www.radionz.co.nz/news/national/279052/new-gender-category-‘problematic’