# Changing nick - why possible? **URL:** \ **Category:** About This Message Board\ **Created:** [September 20, 2010, 3:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/changing-nick-why-possible/554369 "2010-09-20T03:59:11Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 10\ **Page:** 3
**Author:** ![BigT](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bigt/32/12044_2.png) [@BigT](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BigT)\ **Post date:** [September 27, 2010, 3:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/changing-nick-why-possible/554369/41 "2010-09-27T03:27:20Z")
So, do you consider yourself alew, a|ewaɟ, or asla 6u!awos? Because your name seems genderless. ---
**Author:** ![Shot\_From\_Guns](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ccd318/32.png) [@Shot\_From\_Guns](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shot_From_Guns)\ **Post date:** [September 27, 2010, 6:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/changing-nick-why-possible/554369/42 "2010-09-27T18:14:28Z")
You missed a th. ---
**Author:** ![BigT](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bigt/32/12044_2.png) [@BigT](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BigT)\ **Post date:** [September 28, 2010, 1:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/changing-nick-why-possible/554369/43 "2010-09-28T01:50:33Z")
Huh. I had to use a funky font to get those two, and maybe they didn’t copy over. Sorry. But at least I know someone read my post. I really am serious, BTW, as I like to know whether to call a poster he or she. I hate doing the pronoun avoidance shuffle. ---
**Author:** ![Siam\_Sam](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/d78d45/32.png) [@Siam\_Sam](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Siam_Sam)\ **Post date:** [September 28, 2010, 5:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/changing-nick-why-possible/554369/44 "2010-09-28T05:10:16Z")
> [@BigT](#): > > I really am serious, BTW, as I like to know whether to call a poster he or she. I hate doing the pronoun avoidance shuffle. For some posters, “it” would be appropriate. 😃 ---
**Author:** ![Cicero](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cicero/32/3594_2.png) [@Cicero](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cicero)\ **Post date:** [September 28, 2010, 5:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/changing-nick-why-possible/554369/45 "2010-09-28T05:21:48Z")
Yeah- what it said above 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![Siam\_Sam](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/d78d45/32.png) [@Siam\_Sam](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Siam_Sam)\ **Post date:** [September 28, 2010, 5:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/changing-nick-why-possible/554369/46 "2010-09-28T05:31:15Z")
Hey! ---
**Author:** ![Shot\_From\_Guns](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ccd318/32.png) [@Shot\_From\_Guns](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shot_From_Guns)\ **Post date:** [September 28, 2010, 7:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/changing-nick-why-possible/554369/47 "2010-09-28T19:11:43Z")
IIRC, \*\*umop \*\*is a she. But I could be wrong. ---
**Author:** ![EvilTOJ](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/ee59a6/32.png) [@EvilTOJ](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/EvilTOJ)\ **Post date:** [September 29, 2010, 1:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/changing-nick-why-possible/554369/48 "2010-09-29T13:03:46Z")
I thought \*\*umop \*\* was upside down. > [@AClockworkMelon](#): > > Because if I made a username in 2000 that referenced _Battlefield Earth_ only to discover that now, in 2010 it’s much less popular than it was a decade ago and the username is now irrelevant, I might want to change it. So… Battlefield Earth is old, but a movie made in 1971 is more appropriate for usernames? :dubious: ---
**Author:** ![Shot\_From\_Guns](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ccd318/32.png) [@Shot\_From\_Guns](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shot_From_Guns)\ **Post date:** [September 29, 2010, 3:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/changing-nick-why-possible/554369/49 "2010-09-29T15:12:45Z")
He didn’t say \*Battlefield Earth \*was irrelevant because of its age. ---
**Author:** ![umop\_ap\_sdn](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/dbc845/32.png) [@umop\_ap\_sdn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/umop_ap_sdn)\ **Post date:** [October 1, 2010, 2:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/changing-nick-why-possible/554369/50 "2010-10-01T02:53:40Z")
> [@Shot\_From\_Guns](#): > > IIRC, \*\*umop \*\*is a she. But I could be wrong. Nope you’re right. 🙂 Admittedly, I can’t think of anyone who changed from a definitely male screenname to a definitely female one (or vice versa) upon beginning their gender transition. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/changing-nick-why-possible/554369.md?page=2)