Who’s Really Being Discriminated Against?

Ah, gender. It’s one of those topics that seems to come up everywhere—at work, online, even when you’re just trying to sign up for a cat meme newsletter. No matter where you turn, there’s always some form asking you about your gender. And it makes you wonder—why? What’s the deal with these questions, and more importantly, who’s really getting the short end of the stick here?

What’s Up with Gender Questions Anyway?

You’ve seen them before: those little checkboxes that want to know if you’re male, female, prefer not to say, or ‘other’ (which often leads to an existential crisis when you realise you have to specify). The real kicker? Sometimes, you’re just trying to do something completely unrelated, like ordering a pizza or signing up for a streaming service. Does Netflix really need to know my gender before recommending a show? Probably not.

Is This Even Fair?

The reasoning behind these questions depends on who you ask. HR teams will tell you it’s for diversity tracking. Corporations claim it helps them ensure fair opportunities. And your grandma will probably just shake her head and say, “Back in my day, nobody asked about these things.”

The truth? While tracking gender can help in certain cases, does it actually lead to fair treatment? Hard to say. It’s kind of like those restaurant feedback surveys—nice in theory, but has anyone ever actually gotten a free dessert from filling one out?

Who’s Actually Facing Discrimination?

Here’s where it gets tricky. Everyone seems to feel discriminated against in some way. Men argue they’re being overlooked because companies are focused on diversity quotas. Women point out that the gender pay gap is still a thing. Non-binary folks are just trying to get people to use the right pronouns without it turning into a whole debate.

And then there are the HR folks, constantly updating forms to keep up with shifting societal norms. Imagine the stress of having to rearrange a dropdown menu because someone questioned why ‘Male’ was listed before ‘Female.’

Can We Just Keep It Simple?

At the end of the day, fairness should be about treating people like, well, people. If a form really needs gender info, fine. But let’s not make it an ordeal. If companies are serious about fairness, how about focusing on real issues like equal pay, better opportunities, and—while we’re at it—fixing those office vending machines that are always out of order?

Until then, we’ll keep filling out these forms, rolling our eyes, and wondering why a cat meme newsletter needs to know our gender. Now, if you’ll excuse me, I’ve got some memes to look at.