In Which I Am Misgendered

I had to pop into the hospital this afternoon so that they could take bloods and do the dreaded covid test. On arrival, there was a chap standing by the barrier, directing people to the relevant car park. Upon seeing me with my woolly hat, sunglasses and shoulder length hair, he addressed me as madam. A second or so later, he corrected himself and referred to me as sir.

All of which raises the important question. Do I now report him, get him sacked and sue the hospital for harm caused to my feelz? Or do I shrug and move on with my life having had a brief smile about it?

Tough call, frankly.

7 Comments

  1. Long hair on men, especially older men, is quite rare nowadays so it was an understandable mistake. You are unusual in still having some on the top, although it appears that there are now hair loss treatments that actually work so that may change over time. I didn’t look like a woman even when dragged up for a party so I don’t think that there is much chance of this happening to me. Like you, if it did I would just laugh it off, it’s no big deal is it?

    • I’m fairly small built so have a somewhat androgynous appearance, so yeah, easy mistake and no, I don’t think it a big deal, just amusing in the current climate.

    • The tail end of my ponytail isn’t as substantive as what’s growing out the top (still oddly full at 70), but that tail end is almost two feet long! LOL!

      I’D make a helluvan ugly gal though!

      – MJM

  2. No, Longrider
    I’m disappointed.

    The correct response would be to shout loudly about your oppression in a sympathetic national rag, screaming “Look at meeee!”, telling everyone how badly it has affected your emotional and mental well-being.
    All to raise awareness, you understand.

  3. “Shoulder length hair” – That takes me back….to 1978, when father took a picture of me sitting astride my CZ 175 (don’t laugh), which I had just finished rebuilding. Gold painted wheels & engine covers, S&W shocks and a Cibie headlight (yes, even 6 volt halogen bulbs were available then). I took it to the IOM TT the following year, and had a great time, particularly when I overtook 6 German registered BMW’s round one of the bends climbing out of Ramsey. Admittedly, they were being cautious, but I also knew that section was one-way on “Mad Sunday”…

  4. A colleague I had to speak to on the phone in front of clients kept calling me Mr rather than Mrs. I joked with the clients afterwards that that’s what smoking 40 a day does to your voice.

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