I can not tell you how irritated I got while reading your post. I admit, I would not be respectful in any way if someone was pressing me to answer that question.
If they continued to ask me after I have politely said I did not want to answer, I would leave civility behind.
When I got out of the service back in the late 70s, I got called for jury duty every three years like clock work. It was not so much that I did not want to serve, it was that nobody else I knew ever about called for jury duty, but I got called every three years. After about 15 years of this, and multiple letters to the state wide commissioner of juries, when I got called again I was really pissed.
I made myself a real pain, and I suppose I should not have because they were just doing their jobs, but I made it clear that I was angry about being there.
When the jury selection process came up, it involved a case of two brothers who had been arrested by the state police with unlicensed guns. When they asked the question “does anyone here thing that they can not be impartial?” My hand shot up.
They made may go up in front of all these people to talk to the judge and both the prosecuting and defense attorneys. When the judge asked me why, I said that I did not trust the police, and thought that they could have planted the weapons.
The defense attorney was looking at me stroking his chin, and I could see he was trying to figure out a way to get me on the jury. When the judge told me that he could simply call me back on another day, I told him that it was fine, I could be in partial that day and the seated on the jury.
They ended up not picking me, and as soon as I got home I wrote a blisteringly nasty letter (by my standards) to the state wide commissioner of juries.
I have never been picked for another jury after that. Funny thing is, I wouldn’t have any problem now, but back then, I felt unfairly burdened.
I just filled out my jury form and they did ask male, female, “bi”, or “other”. If they press the issue I will give a LONG and detailed reason why I won’t answer it.
Thank you for your service in the military, and also for your civic duty as a juror. I just found out this trial might go for two weeks!! (I thought they were a couple of days when I said it wouldn’t create a hardship.)
It is in a rough part of town, and I know firearms aren’t allowed in the courthouse. I need to see if they provide lockers for them.