Controversy after Jetstar asks customers if they are male, female, or X
Image: Photo: Flickr / Jetstar Airways.
Airline Jetstar has raised conservative eyebrows by asking customers completing a survey to record their gender as male, female or X (for intersex/indeterminate/unspecified).
While some people have been upset about the perceived “political correctness” of offering a non-binary gender option, a Jetstar spokesperson said the airline is simply following government guidelines, The Australian has reported.
“This survey question follows specific standards set by the Australian government regarding gender, and is consistent with the census and passport applications,” the spokesperson said.
“Questions like this are standard across research surveys across Australia and are not unique to Jetstar.”
Jetstar Australia does not require customers to nominate their gender when booking flights, only to nominate a title, with options of Mr, Ms, Miss, Mrs, Captain, Doctor, Professor and Reverend.
The airline does not at present offer a gender-neutral title option such as Mx, and the spokesperson did not comment on whether it might in the future.
Social media users have been divided in their reactions to Jetstar’s more inclusive gender options in the customer service survey, with some slamming it as unnecessary or wrong.
“There are two genders, stop encouraging this anti-biology garbage,” tweeted one person.
Another claimed they would no longer fly with Jetstar over the issue, posting, “I have just written ‘X’ over Jetstar in my list of preferred airlines.”
Others have welcomed the move towards better inclusivity.
“Anyone who’s paying attention has always known there’s more than two genders—thanks Jetstar!” wrote one intersex and non-binary person.
The controversy follows criticism of parent airline Qantas earlier this year for introducing guidelines suggesting gender-neutral language.
People who are intersex or of “indeterminate sex” are able to have an Australian passport showing them as X rather than male or female, though The Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade cautions that these passports may not be accepted in all other countries.
https://twitter.com/daffycommando/status/1009321441622257664
https://twitter.com/bacchushill/status/1008742817739563008
Anyone who's paying attn has always known there's more than 2 genders- tx Jetstar! https://t.co/4trXdLaOei via @MailOnline
— Hida Viloria (@HidaViloria) June 20, 2018
Surely if you have undergone the surgery etc. to change your gender and have had your Birth Certificate re-issued with your correct/new gender there are but two responses? Male or Female.
If I felt that I was a female trapped in a male body and went through all the procedures to correct that I would only then want to be referred to as Female and not “transgender” which, to me, indicates that a person is in the process of having gender reassignment but has not completed the change.
Hi Robert, trans people usually prefer to choose ‘male’ or ‘female’, but some people don’t feel like they fit in either category – the X is for those people.
As a gay man..i am sick and tired of the division that the gay community creates and the constant need to abuse…
No one cares if you are black, white, gay , lesbian, straight etc…..
Just live the life you want….
Yes, if they want to talk about biology they need to know that intersex people are perfectly natural and have always existed.
Adding Mx (Mix) to their titles would be a logical next step. Mx is a non-binary transgender title, and it certainly suits gender-neutral people. As an androgyne I’ve been using it for many years and it really helps me and the people I interact with.
How is this newsworthy? They’re literally just complying with the law. In Australia you can have a passport listing your gender as M, F, or X. They are an airline. They are collecting info according to the passport categories. Absolutely nothing worth reporting on here.
there is far more then 2 genders as gender is not sex and has an internal representation on ones self im glad ppl are starting to include x or other as a gender marker its a step forward to inclusitivity
dont spew your bias hate over shit you dont understand
Always a girl Always myself
““There are two genders, stop encouraging this anti-biology garbage,” tweeted one person.”
Umm, biology wants a word with you, dickhead. Try learning some and you may embarrass yourself less. Learn what genetic mosaicism is. Learn about how there are many variants beyond XX and XY in nature including in humans. Learn that we are so far from understanding the detail of how our brains operate on a cellular/molecular level that it’s impossible to know what’s “unnatural” at this stage in our knowledge.
It’s encouraging that the opposition to these policies is based on such demonstrably bullshit claims about science. If you’re making up science to suit your agenda you’re going to be an out-of-work scientist pretty soon.