Discomforting paperwork

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Lifestyle

In a recent visit to the doctor (scheduled) I had to fill out a form to update/validate my information for 2019. Part of the questionnaire was this.

questionnaire

I was quickly filling this out and after I checked White I started to feel a bit uncomfortable. Why is Ethnicity only Hispanic or Non-hispanic?

 

Why is Race only these four choices? The United States Census officially recognizes six racial categories: White or European American, Black or African American, American Indian and Alaska Native, Asian American, Native Hawaiian and Other Pacific Islander, and people of two or more races; a category called "some other race" is also used in the census and other surveys, but is not official.

 

We live in a beautiful pluarlistic society with a wide variety of Ethnicities and Races with a growing percentage of mixed ones. I was getting confused and started to ask the ladies at the front desk why these choices. They smiled and said that's how it was given to them.

 

I sat down to finish the form but kept staring at this and wondered...Is this where we are? And why does it matter what race or ethnicity or religion? I really just wanted to get a fat black magic marker and write "American."

Comments

Corey Bearak

Sometimes I select other and fill-in my heritage

As to the "Not the webmaster" Mitch's comment, I served on the much heralded Community School Board 26 which before my service on the board, refused to collect ethnic survey date for the then central Board of Education (now a NYC Dept.) and the Schools Chancellor superseded the board over it; the matter did go to litigation. The Board did not succeed but did retain its other abilities as a board, so in that sense I would argue it succeeded.

As to Fred and Dana, sometimes surveys you complete on line require an answer and you cannot skip. While you might be completed a document on paper, someone in the practice may scan or complete the document on line. In essence the design of the survey matters.
Dana Charlton

I agree with Fred ~ ignore it. It's probably for their statistics, not your medical care.
Alan Kreit (NMLS ID 690784)

Mortgage applications require the same questions. I'm required to ask borrowers if their ethnicity is Hispanic/Latino, and the next question is their race (African American, Asian, White, etc). Of course, the borrower may choose not to answer. These questions are government mandated, and the purpose is to make sure that lenders are not discriminating.
Rona Gura

For every divorce I file, I have to fill out for the state a document called a certificate of dissolution. The top part of the form asks for the information one would expect, address of the spouses, where they were married, when married. Then the bottom of the form asks for the race of the spouses and gives me the same choices. Except I don't get the choice, "don't care to provide." The form unnerves me every time.

Submitted by NeilHollander on Sat, 02/16/2019 - 07:13

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Neil Hollander

Nazare’ . The largest waves on the planet . Unlimited firewood . Fresh fish everyday . Big dogs . What ? Me worry ?

Hollander Sends
Kelly Welles

I believe this data gathering is demographically motivated as diagnostics so that government - fed, states, cities - and industry (insurance, realtors, hospitals, healthcare, banks, supermarkets, etc.), can properly respond to changing population needs.

Submitted by Phyllis_Newbert on Sun, 02/17/2019 - 09:00

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Phyllis Newbert

Just reading this now but you do provide very thought provoking and enlightening blogs. I too am always bothered by the ethnicity and race questions and agree that American is an excellent answer.
Carly Bentley

Compliance addresses aversion to possible discrimination cases. Bogus. I’m 100% with you.
America has lots of flavors—in the end, AmeriCAN.
Alan Kreit (NMLS ID 690784)

I don't think so. Of course in this day and age, no lender would discriminate based on ethnic background, marital status, sexual orientation, gender, or age. My favorite story is doing a loan for an 80 year old woman when I first started in the business, must have been 20 years ago...she asked if she was too old to get the loan, and I replied that denying her would be age discrimination. She was very happy and bought her home (an apartment next door to her boyfriend, so cute).

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