Why do I need to provide my gender when I join a group?

Your gender is a required field at the point of registering to join any group on Be Collective.

This is a default question on all membership applications, and is shown under the '1. Your details' section of any group application form.

To complete this question, you can choose from the following values:

• Female

• Male

• Non-binary

• Prefer not to say

You do not need to provide a binary gender if you would prefer not to. Simply select Prefer not to say if you don't wish to disclose this information for any reason.

Your gender is not required to join Be Collective – it is only required to join a group. The gender information you provide will not be shared with any groups other than those you're a member of.

Why do groups need to know my gender?

Some groups find it helpful to know the gender of each group member in order to support the use of correct pronouns for their volunteers. However, we acknowledge that in many cases, a person may use pronouns that do not align with the gender they identify as, e.g. a person may identify as female but use ‘they/them’ pronouns. We encourage all group managers to confirm correct pronouns with their members where possible.

Gender may also be used by organisations who have a legitimate exemption from legal requirements not to discriminate on the basis of gender, such as organisations providing family violence refuge to women or sexual assault support services.

Additionally, a number of groups rely on gender to report on the demographic, and particularly the diversity, of their volunteers for annual reports and in order to support funding and grant applications.

I've been asked other questions about my gender or sexual identity in an application form – what do I do?

Some groups may include additional custom questions around your gender or sexual identity. Custom questions will appear in later sections of the application form.

How do I send a message to a group owner? before completing your application.