Police force’s list of 37 sexual identities
A POLICE force has issued a guide to its officers listing 37 different gender terms and sexual identities they may face when dealing with the public.
Norfolk Constabulary’s document, ‘The + in LGBT’, explains the terminology beside a picture of a ‘gender bread person’ – a play on gingerbread man. Critics last night called it a ‘waste of taxpayers’ money’.
The guide, on the force’s internal computer system, was obtained by The Mail on Sunday using a Freedom of Information request. Some of the terms relating to sexuality, such as ‘asexual’, are self evident but others will be new to most people, such as gynosexual (someone who is attracted to feminine gender presentation) and grey asexual (a person who ‘experiences attraction rarely’).
Similarly, a range of gender terms is also listed. It includes ‘neutrois’, which is when someone ‘identifies as agender, neither male nor female, and/or genderless’, and ‘maverique’, which is used to explain a ‘non-binary gender that exists outside of the orthodox social bounds of gender’.
Officers confused by the definitions are directed to the ‘gender bread person’ diagram, which includes a series of sliding scales that relate to gender identity, sexual orientation, gender expression and biological sex.
Norfolk Police declined to say if it produced the guide itself or obtained it from another organisation. Former Shadow Home Secretary Ann Widdecombe said: ‘This is absolute madness and a waste of rate-payers’ money.
‘Even if the force didn’t produce the guide itself, it has still cost time and money to make it available to staff.’
Human rights activist Peter Tatchell said: ‘It is perfectly valid for the police to list these many different sexual and gender identities.’
Norfolk Police said: ‘All officers are required to undertake training around diversity and information is published on the Constabulary’s intranet pages.’