# Can someone help me understand this gender list? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [January 15, 2017, 8:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-someone-help-me-understand-this-gender-list/777214 "2017-01-15T08:00:34Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 8\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Johanna](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johanna/32/8318_2.png) [@Johanna](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Johanna)\ **Post date:** [January 18, 2017, 6:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-someone-help-me-understand-this-gender-list/777214/21 "2017-01-18T06:21:51Z")
> [@sbunny8](#): > > Five aspects (any of which can differ from the others) means at least 2^5=32 different combinations, hence 32 genders. I wonder if that could be what Ani DiFranco meant when she sang “I am 32 flavors and then some.” > [@](#): > > So it’s not really 32 options, it’s more like infinitely many points in a 5-dimensional space. Speaking of rock musicians, there’s a Fifth Dimension joke in there somewhere, but I forbear. ---
**Author:** ![AK84](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/85e7bf/32.png) [@AK84](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AK84)\ **Post date:** [January 18, 2017, 11:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-someone-help-me-understand-this-gender-list/777214/22 "2017-01-18T11:42:14Z")
> [@Interrobang](#): > > “Officially recognized” is an interesting term, because it’s not like there’s some official board somewhere that does or doesn’t recognize gender designations. > > Facebook seems to allow [at least 58 options](http://www.slate.com/blogs/future_tense/2014/02/13/facebook_custom_gender_options_here_are_all_56_custom_options.html), though some places cite 71. :rolleyes: Man. I am so glad this did not exist in the 1970’s. Otherwise the [Pioneer Plaque](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pioneer_plaque#/media/File:Pioneer_plaque.svg) would never have had room for anything else. ---
**Author:** ![Chronos](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chronos/32/134_2.png) [@Chronos](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chronos)\ **Post date:** [January 18, 2017, 12:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-someone-help-me-understand-this-gender-list/777214/23 "2017-01-18T12:09:42Z")
What do you mean? Of course this existed in the 1970s. It’s not like we’ve become a new species since then. ---
**Author:** ![AK84](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/85e7bf/32.png) [@AK84](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AK84)\ **Post date:** [January 18, 2017, 1:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-someone-help-me-understand-this-gender-list/777214/24 "2017-01-18T13:19:42Z")
> [@Chronos](#): > > What do you mean? Of course this existed in the 1970s. It’s not like we’ve become a new species since then. Looking at the list, apparently, we have. ---
**Author:** ![Brodi](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/cc9497/32.png) [@Brodi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Brodi)\ **Post date:** [January 18, 2017, 2:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-someone-help-me-understand-this-gender-list/777214/25 "2017-01-18T14:18:10Z")
> [@AK84](#): > > Looking at the list, apparently, we have. No, we’ve just become more accepting. Back in the 70s gender norms were still really rigid. ---
**Author:** ![Alan\_Smithee](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/2acd7d/32.png) [@Alan\_Smithee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Alan_Smithee)\ **Post date:** [January 18, 2017, 8:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-someone-help-me-understand-this-gender-list/777214/26 "2017-01-18T20:19:45Z")
Right. But thank God people weren’t allowed to express or accept themselves back then. It might have caused inconvenience for plaque designers. Won’t someone think of Carl Sagan?! ---
**Author:** ![Omar\_Little](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/omar_little/32/269_2.png) [@Omar\_Little](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Omar_Little)\ **Post date:** [January 18, 2017, 8:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-someone-help-me-understand-this-gender-list/777214/27 "2017-01-18T20:31:23Z")
This is less about equality than lifting up uniqueness. People don’t like to be broadly categorized. Hair color could start out as blonde, redhead, or brunette. But someone would argue that they are more of an auburn, strawberry blonde or jet black. People want to be unique. The gender identification is nothing different. ---
**Author:** ![Alan\_Smithee](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/2acd7d/32.png) [@Alan\_Smithee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Alan_Smithee)\ **Post date:** [January 18, 2017, 9:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-someone-help-me-understand-this-gender-list/777214/28 "2017-01-18T21:05:52Z")
> [@Omar\_Little](#): > > This is less about equality than lifting up uniqueness. People don’t like to be broadly categorized. Hair color could start out as blonde, redhead, or brunette. But someone would argue that they are more of an auburn, strawberry blonde or jet black. People want to be unique. The gender identification is nothing different. Absolutely! That’s why trans people keep asking to be treated differently, have special bathrooms that only they use, and don’t want to be referred to by the usual pronouns that refer to the gender they present as without lots of attention-calling to the fact that they are different from the rest of us. At least, I assume that’s what’s happening on your planet. When you visit Earth, you’ll be amazed at how different things are! [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-someone-help-me-understand-this-gender-list/777214.md?page=1)