{"status":"ok","message-type":"work","message-version":"1.0.0","message":{"indexed":{"date-parts":[[2026,4,18]],"date-time":"2026-04-18T10:05:35Z","timestamp":1776506735937,"version":"3.51.2"},"reference-count":82,"publisher":"Wiley","issue":"3","license":[{"start":{"date-parts":[[2016,11,16]],"date-time":"2016-11-16T00:00:00Z","timestamp":1479254400000},"content-version":"vor","delay-in-days":0,"URL":"http:\/\/creativecommons.org\/licenses\/by\/4.0\/"}],"funder":[{"DOI":"10.13039\/501100000265","name":"Medical Research Council","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","award":["MC_UU_12017\/3"],"award-info":[{"award-number":["MC_UU_12017\/3"]}],"id":[{"id":"10.13039\/501100000265","id-type":"DOI","asserted-by":"publisher"}]},{"DOI":"10.13039\/501100000265","name":"Medical Research Council","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","award":["MC_UU_12017\/12"],"award-info":[{"award-number":["MC_UU_12017\/12"]}],"id":[{"id":"10.13039\/501100000265","id-type":"DOI","asserted-by":"publisher"}]},{"DOI":"10.13039\/501100000265","name":"Medical Research Council","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","award":["SPHSU12"],"award-info":[{"award-number":["SPHSU12"]}],"id":[{"id":"10.13039\/501100000265","id-type":"DOI","asserted-by":"publisher"}]}],"content-domain":{"domain":["onlinelibrary.wiley.com"],"crossmark-restriction":true},"short-container-title":["Sociology Health &amp; Illness"],"published-print":{"date-parts":[[2017,3]]},"abstract":"<jats:title>Abstract<\/jats:title><jats:p>Despite academic feminist debate over several decades, the binary nature of sex as a (perhaps<jats:italic>the<\/jats:italic>) primary social classification is often taken for granted, as is the assumption that individuals can be unproblematically assigned a biological sex at birth. This article presents analysis of online debate on the<jats:styled-content style=\"fixed-case\">BBC<\/jats:styled-content>news website in November 2013, comprising 864 readers' responses to an article entitled \u2018Germany allows \u2018indeterminate\u2019 gender at birth\u2019. It explores how discourse reflecting Western essentialist beliefs about people having one sex<jats:italic>or<\/jats:italic>\u2018the other\u2019 is maintained in debates conducted in this online public space. Comments were coded thematically and are presented under five sub\u2010headings: overall evaluation of the German law; discussing and disputing statistics and \u2018facts\u2019; binary categorisations; religion and politics; and \u2018conversations\u2019 and threads. Although for many the mapping of binary sex onto gender was unquestionable, this view was strongly disputed by commentators who questioned the meanings of \u2018natural\u2019 and \u2018normal\u2019, raised the possibility of removing societal binary male\u2010female distinctions or saw maleness\u2013femaleness as a continuum. While recognising that online commentators are anonymous and can control their self\u2010presentation, this animated discussion suggests that social classifications as male or female, even if questioned, remain fundamental in public debate in the early 21<jats:sup>st<\/jats:sup>century.<\/jats:p>","DOI":"10.1111\/1467-9566.12490","type":"journal-article","created":{"date-parts":[[2016,11,16]],"date-time":"2016-11-16T19:33:04Z","timestamp":1479324784000},"page":"380-396","update-policy":"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.1002\/crossmark_policy","source":"Crossref","is-referenced-by-count":3,"title":["Public challenge and endorsement of sex category ambiguity in online debate: \u2018The sooner people stop thinking that gender is a matter of choice the better\u2019"],"prefix":"10.1111","volume":"39","author":[{"given":"Helen","family":"Sweeting","sequence":"first","affiliation":[{"name":"MRC\/CSO Social and Public Health Sciences Unit University of Glasgow Scotland"}],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]},{"given":"Matthew William","family":"Maycock","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"MRC\/CSO Social and Public Health Sciences Unit University of Glasgow Scotland"}],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]},{"given":"Laura","family":"Walker","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"MRC\/CSO Social and Public Health Sciences Unit University of Glasgow Scotland"}],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]},{"given":"Kate","family":"Hunt","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"MRC\/CSO Social and Public Health Sciences Unit University of Glasgow Scotland"}],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]}],"member":"311","published-online":{"date-parts":[[2016,11,16]]},"reference":[{"key":"e_1_2_7_2_1","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1136\/adc.2003.035899"},{"key":"e_1_2_7_3_1","volume-title":"Understanding Gender and Organizations","author":"Alvesson M.","year":"1997"},{"key":"e_1_2_7_4_1","unstructured":"Angloinfo(2016)Registering the birth. Available athttp:\/\/germany.angloinfo.com\/healthcare\/pregnancy-birth\/registering-the-birth\/(Last accessed 8 August 2016)."},{"key":"e_1_2_7_5_1","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1111\/1467-9566.ep10933329"},{"key":"e_1_2_7_6_1","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1016\/j.siny.2011.01.001"},{"key":"e_1_2_7_7_1","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1016\/j.juro.2010.09.083"},{"key":"e_1_2_7_8_1","unstructured":"BBC News(2013)Germany allows \u2018indeterminate\u2019 gender at birth. Available athttp:\/\/www.bbc.co.uk\/news\/world-europe-24767225(Last accessed 18 July 2016)."},{"key":"e_1_2_7_9_1","unstructured":"BBC(2014)Horizon. TV Radio follow up. Available athttp:\/\/www.bbc.co.uk\/social\/moderation\/house-rules(Last accessed 22 August 2016)."},{"key":"e_1_2_7_10_1","unstructured":"BBC(2016)Moderation \u2010 house rules. Available athttp:\/\/www.bbc.co.uk\/social\/moderation\/house-rules(Last accessed 22 August 2016)."},{"key":"e_1_2_7_11_1","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1177\/135485650401000403"},{"issue":"2","key":"e_1_2_7_12_1","first-page":"531","article-title":"A child's expertise: establishing statutory protection for intersexed children who reject their gender of assignment","volume":"82","author":"Bishop E.A.","year":"2007","journal-title":"New York University Law Review"},{"key":"e_1_2_7_13_1","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1002\/(SICI)1520-6300(200003\/04)12:2<151::AID-AJHB1>3.0.CO;2-F"},{"key":"e_1_2_7_14_1","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1542\/peds.110.3.616"},{"key":"e_1_2_7_15_1","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1558\/genl.v7i3.275"},{"key":"e_1_2_7_16_1","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1093\/geront\/gns046"},{"key":"e_1_2_7_17_1","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.2307\/2626956"},{"key":"e_1_2_7_18_1","volume-title":"Gender Trouble: Feminism and the Subversion of Identity","author":"Butler J.","year":"1990"},{"key":"e_1_2_7_19_1","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1093\/lawfam\/16.3.327"},{"key":"e_1_2_7_20_1","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"2936","DOI":"10.1016\/j.physa.2011.03.040","article-title":"Negative emotions boost user activity at BBC forum","volume":"390","author":"Chmiela A.","year":"2011","journal-title":"Physica A: Statistical Mechanics and its Applications"},{"key":"e_1_2_7_21_1","volume-title":"Folk Devils and Moral Panics: the Creation of the Mods and the Rockers","author":"Cohen S.","year":"2002"},{"key":"e_1_2_7_22_1","volume-title":"As Nature Made Him: the Boy Who Was Raised As a Girl","author":"Colapinto J.","year":"2000"},{"key":"e_1_2_7_23_1","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1016\/j.jpurol.2010.07.004"},{"key":"e_1_2_7_24_1","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","DOI":"10.18574\/nyu\/9781479891993.001.0001","volume-title":"Contesting Intersex: The Dubious Diagnosis","author":"Davis G.","year":"2015"},{"key":"e_1_2_7_25_1","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","unstructured":"Diakopoulos N.andNaaman M.(2011)Towards quality discourse in online news comments. Proceedings of the ACM 2011 Conference on Computer Supported Cooperative Work Hangzhou China:ACM.","DOI":"10.1145\/1958824.1958844"},{"key":"e_1_2_7_26_1","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1215\/10642684-2008-134"},{"key":"e_1_2_7_27_1","volume-title":"Cultures of the Internet: the Internet in Britain","author":"Dutton W.H.","year":"2013"},{"key":"e_1_2_7_28_1","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1016\/S0277-9536(98)00287-1"},{"key":"e_1_2_7_29_1","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1002\/j.2326-1951.1993.tb03081.x"},{"key":"e_1_2_7_30_1","volume-title":"Sexing the Body: Gender Politics and the Construction of Sexuality","author":"Fausto\u2010Sterling A.","year":"2000"},{"key":"e_1_2_7_31_1","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1353\/hcr.0.0062"},{"key":"e_1_2_7_32_1","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1515\/9781503620766"},{"key":"e_1_2_7_33_1","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1136\/tc.2011.042986"},{"key":"e_1_2_7_34_1","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1007\/BF00206983"},{"key":"e_1_2_7_35_1","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1080\/14768320601176170"},{"key":"e_1_2_7_36_1","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1515\/jplr.2010.011"},{"key":"e_1_2_7_37_1","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1177\/0959353500010001014"},{"key":"e_1_2_7_38_1","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1016\/0304-4017(93)90139-E"},{"key":"e_1_2_7_39_1","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1080\/17512780802054538"},{"key":"e_1_2_7_40_1","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1023\/B:META.0000025069.46031.0e"},{"key":"e_1_2_7_41_1","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1080\/0958923042000287830"},{"key":"e_1_2_7_42_1","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1177\/1468794107085298"},{"key":"e_1_2_7_43_1","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1542\/peds.2006-0737"},{"key":"e_1_2_7_44_1","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1016\/j.beem.2007.11.001"},{"key":"e_1_2_7_45_1","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1080\/17512786.2010.501155"},{"key":"e_1_2_7_46_1","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1016\/S0140-6736(08)61858-9"},{"key":"e_1_2_7_47_1","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1080\/09589236.2011.593325"},{"key":"e_1_2_7_48_1","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1086\/494643"},{"key":"e_1_2_7_49_1","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1177\/016344300022001004"},{"key":"e_1_2_7_50_1","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1111\/j.1475-4959.2012.00479.x"},{"key":"e_1_2_7_51_1","unstructured":"Koyama E.(2011)Suggested guidelines for non\u2010intersex individuals writing about intersexuality and intersex people.http:\/\/www.isna.org\/pdf\/writing-guidelines.pdf(Last accessed 8 August 2016)."},{"key":"e_1_2_7_52_1","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1093\/ije\/dyg156"},{"key":"e_1_2_7_53_1","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1353\/pbm.2002.0011"},{"key":"e_1_2_7_54_1","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1159\/000113025"},{"key":"e_1_2_7_55_1","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1542\/peds.2006-0738"},{"key":"e_1_2_7_56_1","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1159\/000442975"},{"key":"e_1_2_7_57_1","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1016\/j.jpurol.2012.09.009"},{"key":"e_1_2_7_58_1","volume-title":"The Social Construction of Gender","author":"Lorber J.","year":"1991"},{"key":"e_1_2_7_59_1","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1016\/j.socscimed.2011.09.013"},{"key":"e_1_2_7_60_1","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1016\/j.jpurol.2014.01.030"},{"key":"e_1_2_7_61_1","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1016\/j.shpsc.2006.06.010"},{"key":"e_1_2_7_62_1","unstructured":"Mishne G.andGlance N.(2006)Leave a reply: an analysis of weblog comments.Edinburgh:WWW2006 Workshop on the Weblogging Ecosystem."},{"key":"e_1_2_7_63_1","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1002\/j.2326-1951.1993.tb03089.x"},{"key":"e_1_2_7_64_1","volume-title":"Man & Woman, Boy & Girl: the Differentiation and Dimorphism of Gender Identity from Conception to Maturity","author":"Money J.","year":"1972"},{"key":"e_1_2_7_65_1","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.5153\/sro.1514"},{"key":"e_1_2_7_66_1","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1515\/jplr.2011.010"},{"key":"e_1_2_7_67_1","unstructured":"New York Times(2004)David Reimer 38 subject of the John\/Joan case. 12 May. Available athttp:\/\/www.nytimes.com\/2004\/05\/12\/us\/david-reimer-38-subject-of-the-john-joan-case.html?_r=0(Last accessed 8 August 2016)."},{"key":"e_1_2_7_68_1","volume-title":"Sex, Gender and Society","author":"Oakley A.","year":"1985"},{"key":"e_1_2_7_69_1","unstructured":"Ofcom(2013)News consumption in the UK \u2013 2013 report London:Ofcom."},{"key":"e_1_2_7_70_1","unstructured":"Office for National Statistics(2015)Annual mid\u2010year population estimates 2014 Newport:Office for National Statistics."},{"key":"e_1_2_7_71_1","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1016\/j.wsif.2003.09.008"},{"key":"e_1_2_7_72_1","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1037\/0022-3514.90.5.751"},{"key":"e_1_2_7_73_1","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1086\/495696"},{"key":"e_1_2_7_74_1","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1353\/pbm.2007.0054"},{"key":"e_1_2_7_75_1","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1515\/JPEM.2006.19.11.1285"},{"key":"e_1_2_7_76_1","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1071\/SH04007"},{"key":"e_1_2_7_77_1","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1086\/664471"},{"key":"e_1_2_7_78_1","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1080\/00224490209552139"},{"key":"e_1_2_7_79_1","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.4135\/9781446216286"},{"key":"e_1_2_7_80_1","unstructured":"The Guardian(2014)Being Brenda. 17 September. Available athttp:\/\/www.theguardian.com\/books\/2004\/may\/12\/scienceandnature.gender(Last accessed 8 August 2016)."},{"key":"e_1_2_7_81_1","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1111\/j.1527-2001.2001.tb00929.x"},{"key":"e_1_2_7_82_1","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1177\/0891243287001002002"},{"key":"e_1_2_7_83_1","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1177\/1464700109343258"}],"container-title":["Sociology of Health &amp; Illness"],"original-title":[],"language":"en","link":[{"URL":"https:\/\/api.wiley.com\/onlinelibrary\/tdm\/v1\/articles\/10.1111%2F1467-9566.12490","content-type":"application\/pdf","content-version":"vor","intended-application":"text-mining"},{"URL":"https:\/\/onlinelibrary.wiley.com\/doi\/pdf\/10.1111\/1467-9566.12490","content-type":"unspecified","content-version":"vor","intended-application":"similarity-checking"}],"deposited":{"date-parts":[[2024,6,20]],"date-time":"2024-06-20T16:44:43Z","timestamp":1718901883000},"score":1,"resource":{"primary":{"URL":"https:\/\/onlinelibrary.wiley.com\/doi\/10.1111\/1467-9566.12490"}},"subtitle":[],"short-title":[],"issued":{"date-parts":[[2016,11,16]]},"references-count":82,"journal-issue":{"issue":"3","published-print":{"date-parts":[[2017,3]]}},"alternative-id":["10.1111\/1467-9566.12490"],"URL":"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.1111\/1467-9566.12490","archive":["Portico"],"relation":{},"ISSN":["0141-9889","1467-9566"],"issn-type":[{"value":"0141-9889","type":"print"},{"value":"1467-9566","type":"electronic"}],"subject":[],"published":{"date-parts":[[2016,11,16]]},"assertion":[{"value":"2016-11-16","order":2,"name":"published","label":"Published","group":{"name":"publication_history","label":"Publication History"}}]}}