23andMe announced some important updates to give customers greater control over tailoring their product experience so it more accurately reflects their gender.
23andMe now allows customers to distinguish between their sex assigned at birth and their gender. This allows all customers, but especially their transgender and/or non-binary customers to have their gender accurately reflected in relevant product features during their interactions with other customers they choose to make connections with, and if they choose to participate in DNA Relatives.
Current customers can take advantage of these updates by adding their gender and preferred relationship labels in their Account Settings.
As part of their commitment to diversity, equity, and inclusion, 23andMe is continually improving their product to reflect the diversity of all customers. This particular update was in response to customers who want their 23andMe profiles to more accurately reflect their gender.
Not only that, but it’s the right thing to do. 23andMe’s trans and non-binary customers have every right to see themselves reflected accurately in their 23andMe experience. And 23andMe wants them to be able to participate in all of the features 23andMe offers safely and as their full, authentic selves.
After consulting with 23andMe’s LGBTQ+ Employee Resource Group and a focus group of transgender customers, 23andMe has added the option for customers to provide their gender (including a non-binary option), in addition to their birth sex, during account registration and in their Account Settings.
If a customer chooses to opt in to research, their gender may be included, but it is always de-identified from their genetic information. Additionally, if they indicate their gender is not the same as their birth sex, they will receive additional messaging about their health reports.
Customers can also now decide if they would like to have masculine, feminine, or gender-neutral relationship labels (e.g., brother, sister, or sibling) shown to their connections and DNA relatives (if they choose to opt into these features).
23andMe will continue to use a customer’s birth sex as a part of their laboratory control steps. This is because if someone self-reported sex doesn’t match what 23andMe determined from their analysis of the person’s DNA, they want to make sure there wasn’t an error in processing. 23andMe will also continue to use a customer’s birth sex to help them deliver or interpret results for certain health, wellness, and traits topics.
As more research becomes available, for example on how hormone replacement therapy may affect risk estimates, 23andMe hopes to keep improving their products so that it is more relevant for these customers.
Related Articles on FamilyTree.com:
Study Provides Insight Into Genetics of Same-Sex Behavior
FamilySearch to Allow Same-Sex Relationships On Family Trees
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