NHS workers asked if they are ‘endosex’ or ‘abrosexual’
LGBTQIA network members given sexuality survey that was never signed off by bosses
‘You would hope for something more rooted in biological reality from NHS England’
NHS WORKERS have been asked if they identify as “greyromantic”, “abrosexual” and “endosex” in an LGBTQIA network survey.
Members were asked their “current sex” and what “umbrella would your romantic orientation fall under” among other characteristics. The network said it would “contribute towards actions and strategy, not just for the network but for the organisation”.
It is understood the leaked survey was never signed off by NHS bosses. Prof Alice Sullivan, professor of sociology at University College London, said it was “the ne plus ultra of bad survey questions”. Kathleen Stock, the writer and co-director at the Lesbian Project who unearthed the questionnaire, said it was a “bats---- survey”.
One question asked respondents what their “current sex” is, with multiple choice answers including “in between male and female”, “both male and female” or “leaning” toward male or female. Another asks members “what umbrella your romantic orientation falls under”, with a list of possible answers: abroromantic, aromantic, alloromantic, greyromantic, demiromantic, queer and questioning.
The survey explains that “greyromantic” or “greysexual” means “rarely or only under certain conditions do they experience romantic/sexual attraction”, while “demi” means it only occurs when “an emotional bond” is formed. “Abro” means attraction “changes over time”. Someone who is queer can be wanting to reject specific labels of romantic orientation, whereas questioning is someone who is questioning how they identify romantically.
Other questions asked for people to share their pronouns, including the options “fae/faer/faers” and “xe/xer/ xears”, as well as “are you endosex or intersex”. The pronouns are classed as “neopronouns”, it is understood, which are an alternative to “they/them”.
An endosex person is someone whose sexual characteristics fit the medical definitions of male and female, whereas an intersex person is born with both male and female biological traits.
Kate Barker, chief executive of LGB Alliance said the survey was “infantile, meaningless, and insulting to gay and lesbian people”. She said: “Sex and sexuality are protected characteristics - these made-up identities and non-existent sexualities are not. They are a poor substitute for what we used to call ‘personalities’.”
“Grouping LGB people – who may well experience genuine discrimination – with self-declared ‘male-leaning’ or ‘greysexual’ people makes a mockery of our sexuality. This kind of nonsense is a perfect example of why LGB people want to organise on the basis of sexuality, not identity.”
Milli Hill, the author, said the survey “conflates the meaning of sex and gender, which is typical for any organisation in thrall to gender ideology”.
“There are only two sexes, so it is nonsensical to suggest you can be ‘between’ the two, be ‘neither’, or be ‘leaning’ towards one or the other,” she said. “If the survey is to ‘contribute towards actions and strategy’, then the respondents’ sex is clearly relevant,” she added.
“You would hope for something less ideologically captured and more rooted in biological reality from a public health body such as NHS England.”
It follows criticism of the NHS earlier this month after it published new menopause guidance that said “not everyone who experiences menopause is a woman”. NHS England published a 17-page draft of a booklet online, which was titled the “national menopause people policy framework”.
It was swiftly withdrawn, amid an outcry over the language it used, with sources close to Victoria Atkins, the Health Secretary, telling The Telegraph the matter would be raised with the NHS. The document, which detailed what help is available to women in the workplace, said: “Transgender, non-binary, and intersex colleagues may also experience menopause and will have specific needs.”
The draft document was deleted with NHS officials claiming it was published in error ahead of a final version being published online next month.
Ms Atkins recently expressed frustration with attempts by the NHS to erase women from their language, criticising the use of terms like “chestfeeding” and “birthing person”.
Regarding the questionnaire issued by NHS England’s LGBTQIA Network, an NHS England spokesman told The
Telegraph, it was “not an NHS England approved survey.”