As anyone whose gender is non-binary, I dread forms, especially online ones where you absolutely cannot click “next” until you fill everything out. Here are three forms that I’ve recently filled out that have surprised me in some way.
Trevor Space
This is a subgroup of the larger Trevor Project, focusing on spreading LGBT awareness in order to prevent suicide in queer teens. Trevor Space is like a forum or chat room for that target audience, and I was about to give it a go when the first field on the registration form turned into a tremendous disappointment. The site itself looks somewhat old and uncared for (sorry, it might sound harsh but that’s what I do for a living…) so it’s entirely possible that they just haven’t kept it up to date and the times are a’changin. That said, of all places, I did not expect to feel left out here, in terms of both gender and sexuality.
Google Profile
I wish all forms were like this one. It says it all. I did not expect it to see it in something so generic as a Google Profile, but there it was. Me == Very Happy.
Community Music Center
I just signed up for music lessons three weeks ago (yay!) and when I was filling out this paper registration form, my heart was filled with joy. I was caught unawares (I mean, when DO you ever get the chance to fill this out for real?). I put in “neutral.”
A Call for Examples
Also, Nat at Practical Androgyny is trying to compile a list of businesses/places/forms that allow for a non-binary gender choice. Does anyone have any other examples they’d like to share?
genderqueer.me 
In defense of Trevor Space, I ran into the same problem, emailed them, and received a very compassionate response almost immediately about why they can’t change those settings.
The site was donated and is being maintained by the company that donated it. The people from the Trevor Project are unable to change the settings and are not currently in a position to ask the donators to alter it (I believe that company told them that they either couldn’t or wouldn’t – not sure of the specifics). Although the Trevor Project is aware and regretful that these limited options are problematic, they felt that providing the space at all was important enough to put up with these settings. It’s a compromise, for sure.
It would probably be a good idea if they made a statement about this on their website, since I only found this out by emailing them. Many others probably just end up frustrated and write off the space and exclusionary.
Fair enough. My frustration capped when I couldn’t email an admin until I had a picture in my profile – there was no contact email anywhere else. It’s sad though that there are a multitude of web design agencies that could surely take on this project – I wonder if they are not reaching out properly or no agency has stepped up yet.
That’s really strange about the photo thing. I don’t know who exactly I contacted or where exactly I got their info, but I did that emailing without signing up at Trevor Space at all.
I’ve been seeing non-binary options pop up in quite a few places lately. This is likely because I’m Canadian, and the government here recently passed a bill criminalizing descrimination based on gender identity or expression.
The strangest place I’ve seen a male/female/neither option has to be the CBC’s Vote Compass thing though. I never thought that a political survey would be so, well, non-offensive.
I’m afraid Bill C-389 died in the Senate when the election was called, so it is not law. It will have to start over. I’ve read that Hedy Fry will sponsor a new bill.
I know it did, but a number of organisations have already changed they way they do things, and I doubt they’re going to spend the time and money to change back. So I consider it a net positive.
Just the fact that a bill like that was presented is a step in the right direction.
Yes, the bill was sadly killed in the Senate. Either way, Canada is way ahead of human rights laws than most countries. Sometimes I wish I lived there.
On an unrelated note, one thing that confuses me in forms in Spanish is that M is for Mujer (woman).