This is our opportunity to make Pnyx and other DEX applications more inclusive. At Pnyx, we feel embarrassed when showing Comm.care and having such an old and non-inclusive classification for gender. But our hands were tied, Pnyx has to report to the Department of Social Services Data Exchange (DEX) so we are obliged to follow the department standards. Now is our opportunity to fix this issue and move forward as an inclusive platform. The Department is seeking feedback from organisations on how the DEX gender values can better align with the Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS) Standard for Sex, Gender, Variations of Sex Characteristics and Sexual Orientation Variables, 2020 (The Standard).

Data Exchange (DEX) collects information on gender, not sex. Gender is a social and cultural concept. Gender identity is about who a person feels themself to be, which may or may not match the sex they were assigned at birth. We are hoping to get Dex to add more inclusive Gender values and make pnyx a more enjoyable application for all.

The current DEX list of values for gender includes ‘intersex/indeterminate’, however the ABS standard refers to intersex as a variation of sex characteristics and is not included as a value listed for gender. The Standard suggests the following value options when collecting information on gender:

• Man or male
• Women or female
• Non-binary
• (I/They) use a different term
• Prefer not to answer or Not stated / Inadequately described (as an alternative)

The current list of values in DEX includes:

• Male
• Female
• Intersex/Indeterminate
• Not stated/Inadequately described

Any changes to DEX impact on organisations, so the department has four options for your consideration:

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Option 1a

All current Data Exchange (DEX) gender values on the left would be replaced with the proposed values on the right. An additional value, (I/They) use a different term, has been added.

Note: this option involves a name change from 'Intersex/Indeterminate' to 'Non-binary'. All clients who have identified as 'Intersex/Indeterminate' would display as 'Non-binary'.

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Option 1b

All current Data Exchange (DEX) gender values on the left would be replaced with the proposed values on the right.

Note: this option involves a name change from 'Intersex/Indeterminate' to 'Non-binary'. All clients who have identified as 'Intersex/Indeterminate' would display as 'Non-binary'.

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Option 2a

All current Data Exchange (DEX) values on the left would be replaced with the proposed values on the right. Intersex/indeterminate would be retired. Non-binary and (I/They) use a different term would be added.

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Option 2b

All current Data Exchange (DEX) values on the left would be replaced with the proposed ones on the right. Intersex/indeterminate would be retired. Non-binary would be added.

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