Surveys, weeing

[slemslempike]

I just took a survey that asked me whether I was married/co-habiting, divorced/separated, or PRE-MARRIAGE. For fuck's sake.

I also got pissed off (this is a HILARIOUS pun that won't become apparent until a later paragraph) with a question I had to answer this morning about whether or not I had used a condom the last time I had sex. There was not a box for "there really wasn't anywhere to put it", so I ticked no and then pointed out to the person that the question was distinctly lacking. And now I think I should have left it blank, because I suspect that it's going to get used to say "omg these stupid women don't even use contraception". Anyway.

These questions were on a form to get tested for Chlamydia. I went because I was attracted by the word "free", by the fact that it was the only non-sporting activity in the graduate email, and really it's better to know. Also I am a bit of a hypochondriac, and sometimes think that I have Munchausen's syndrome. I had an AIDS test a few years ago because it was free. It was a scraper thing in your cheek.

It was only when I got to the graduate common room today that I realised that I didn't actually know how they tested for chlamydia, but it turned out to be urine, and may I just say that I absolutely aced the weeing into the tube thing. She said half full, and half full it duly was. They are going to send me a letter to tell me if I have it. I also got a badge with an elephant and "don't forget" on it, but it doesn't really say what it is that you shouldn't forget. I don't think that it's particularly effective advertising.

Ebay update - red boots now at £16.51 with 11 watchers. Don't just watch, join in! Bid higher and higher!

Comments

[jinxremoving.livejournal.com]

I misread the bag (to be fair, you've typed 'bage') as 'bagel'. A bagel with an elephant on it! Wow.

Also, WTF heterosexist Victorians. Also also, mind you don't get filed under 'not sexually active', which is one of my favourite rage-inducers.

No seriously, 'pre-marriage'? I keep coming back to that because my mind is boggling over and over. I just ... no. Gah.

[slemslempike.livejournal.com]

Ops - it was badge. I have fixed it now, and changed "scraper think" to "scraper thing".

THe form was quite odd - it didn't ask the right questions for what they wanted to know, and I've just remembered another rage-inducing thing, that their options were "working full time" "working part time" and "student/in school". HMMMMM.

I have no clue. I hope it's not a trend. They even used "co-habiting", so they admit that not everyone in a living-together relationship is married, but somehow if you're not living with a romantic partner, it's pre-marriage. ARGH.

[nineveh-uk.livejournal.com]

but somehow if you're not living with a romantic partner, it's pre-marriage
Like those US health proposals to treat all women as 'pre-pregnant'?

[slemslempike.livejournal.com]

Well, one would HOPE that you wouldn't have one without the other!! Marriage is for pregnancy, and pregnancy is only for the married.

[metamorphosa.livejournal.com]

I believe that the whole "pre-marriage" thing is there to separate out from 'co-habiting' those whose cultural and religious beliefs do not permit them to co-habit with their fiance. [1] Presumably as far as their faith goes, they're not supposed to be sexually active either, so quite why such people filling out that form would *want* this identified on there is beyond me. I have just re-typed a sentence that began "I suspect that...." several times, and decided each of the 'reasons' for my suspicions was too inflammatory, despite me not intending them to be. Feel free to fill in the blanks with your own..

ETA: [1]That, and the government's desperate attempt to gather *any* kind of statistics to show our 'traditional family values' are still breathing.

[slemslempike.livejournal.com]

Ah no - the post isn't very clear. The "pre-marriage" was on an online market research survey. The ONLY option they had for people who were not living with a romantic partner was "pre-marriage" - so it wasn't about separating anyone out at all. It's not a government thing, so it's not about those kind of statistics.