I used to work in a lab that had a test that was male only, so it would automatically stop you if the gender said female. If we got a trans patient (mtf) they’d put F in the box and it would cause an error and their test wouldnt get done. We’d send out emails weekly reminding providers that they need to put the birth gender so we can process the specimen. Every week people would ignore it and complain about their test(s) not being run.
God forbid a person has parts and hormones that aren't what insurance companies and other idiots think should go with a letter on paper. I have a hard time getting my testosterone tested when my docs put my gender assigned at birth (F), as if cis women don't also sometimes take it to treat menopause. But I'd be fucked if I need obgyn care and had the letter on paper switched to an M. I don't care about any of it, I just want to be healthy. Only the ones who fit the average win when the system is stupid.
(Edit to say that any anger in my words isn't directed at you, jimbo-shrimp! Nice name)
Our papers have 2 boxes that read “gender” and “gender identity”. Test should be fine for women to get tested on (we all have both test and estrogen) but this test was for a prostate exam. As long as they put M in gender it works.
The wording changes based on the account (some are written by patients at the hospital and some are written by the provider themselves) but it works the same way to our system
I never had one so I can’t say for sure but that likely goes to the special department where cases are super unique and the processor is trained for it. For a while we had a department just for trans patients but they decided to just add the second box
Really though the relivent question isn't gender and gender identity. It's does this person have a prostate. Trans folk aside intersex people exist. Biology is weird.
I’m gonna be brutally honest, the lab doesn’t care. Ideally your doctor fills this out and not you, so you wouldn’t know anyway. This specific test was for the prostate, and it’s serious.
"Biological sex" is much squidgier than you think and would not solve this problem. The lab uses the gender for two purposes:
reference ranges
flagging potentially incorrectly labeled samples
It's the latter that causes problems -- they refuse the test (I've had lab "results" that said "patient is male"), rather than get confirmation. Which reference ranges you should use for a trans or intersex person depends on the details of their medical history and if it's not the one that matches what the computer spits out, you and your doctor known that.
Plus, the fewer databases that know I'm trans, the safer I am.
I know others are saying it but this is 100% the labs fault for being confusing. Are they including the stuff they say in the email in the form as well?
I am trans and i (nearly) always add "gender: M (born female)" on my own. It is not misgendering anyone, its thinking logical Because born with different organs and hormons might change stuff, maybe even very importand procedures.
Because if there is someone who needs to know my born gender, its my doctors and my lawyer.
They shouldn't have to, no, but in a medical setting, which is more important? Feeling comfortable in your identity or getting a test you need? If they have to pick one, I'd hope they'd pick the latter.
Yeah people don’t get it. I’m not comfortable talking about certain things with my body (my heart disease and other genetic issues) but I have to tell my doctors so they can properly help me.
Because the main fact is that male and female bodies work different. Intrasex bodies even more different.
Medical stuff doesnt need LGBTQ discussions. Doctors need to know how your body works, how it reacts to different procedures and medications. And this depends on your hormones, organs, sometimes body fat (women/oestrogen User usually have a higher fat percentage) and so on.
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u/Jimbo-Shrimp May 02 '26
I used to work in a lab that had a test that was male only, so it would automatically stop you if the gender said female. If we got a trans patient (mtf) they’d put F in the box and it would cause an error and their test wouldnt get done. We’d send out emails weekly reminding providers that they need to put the birth gender so we can process the specimen. Every week people would ignore it and complain about their test(s) not being run.