Health Department Phone Call

Here's a phone call I got one day. I think it pretty well illustrates the subtle every-day struggles that trans and non-binary people face.


Me: "Hello?"

Phone: "Hello, this is the Washington State Health Department calling on behalf of the CDC. You have been picked randomly to participate in a survey about your personal health and your insurance satisfaction. Do you wish to participate?"

Me: "Sure, go for it, ma'am."

Phone: "You may cancel at any time, and you have the right to not answer any questions that make you feel uncomfortable. How many people are in your household?"

Me: "Two."

Phone: "And how many of them are men?"

Me: "I guess... None of them."

Phone: "Okay, then both of them are women?"

Me: "Oh, no. Only one of them is a woman."

Phone: "Then the other one is a man?"

Me: "No, the other one is non-binary."

Phone: "... Is this person identified as a man?"

Me: "No, they are non-binary. Neither male nor female."

Phone: "... Let me go check and see how I'm going to put that in..."

Me: "Sure."

[2 minutes later]

Phone: "Alright, let's do this again. How many men are in your household?"

Me: "Zero."

Phone: "And how many women?"

Me: "One."

Phone: "..."

Me: "..."

Phone: "... I'll be right back."

[3 minutes later]

Phone: "Okay, sir, I need to verify--"

Me: "Ma'am. I'm transgender, please call me ma'am.

Phone: "You identify as female, correct?"

Me: "Yes, I am female."

Phone: "And the other household member is...?"

Me: "Non-binary."

Phone: "..."

Me: "And they use neutral they/them pronouns."

Phone: "Sir, I can't..."

Me: "Ma'am."

Phone: "Sorry, ma'am, there's no third option for me to add that option."

Me: "Thank you. And it sounds like you need to add one then! Because non-binary people exist. I live with one."

Phone: "... I'll be right back."

[7 minutes later]

Phone: *partially inaudible* Hello?

Me: "Hello?"

Phone: *signal cutting out* "This...it...thank..."

Me: "Hold on, I can't hear you."

Phone: *cutting out* "Thank you for ... Call, sir. Goodbye."

Me: "Oh... Okay. Goodbye. Sir."

[Hang up]

They actually pretended their signal was cutting out and ended the call. Just like what I usually do to them! Touché...