# How about a gender indicator? **URL:** \ **Category:** About This Message Board\ **Created:** [February 1, 2005, 11:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-about-a-gender-indicator/287870 "2005-02-01T23:00:45Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 3
**Author:** ![\_Deep\_F\_ied](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/_/7cd45c/32.png) [@\_Deep\_F\_ied](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/_Deep_F_ied)\ **Post date:** [February 3, 2005, 4:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-about-a-gender-indicator/287870/41 "2005-02-03T16:51:06Z")
I think it might prove useful in clearing up the misconception that I am a twelve year old girl… …of which I am neither. ---
**Author:** ![scotandrsn](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/a4c791/32.png) [@scotandrsn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/scotandrsn)\ **Post date:** [February 3, 2005, 5:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-about-a-gender-indicator/287870/42 "2005-02-03T17:52:25Z")
Perhaps the board could activate the use of avatars, but have a requirement that your avatar consist of a notarized thumbnail photo of your genitalia. That would clear things up beyond a shadow of doubt. 😃 But seriously, the day we start pigeonholing ourselves beyond the contents of our brains is the day I will renounce my membership. ---
**Author:** ![Ephemera](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/8baadc/32.png) [@Ephemera](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ephemera)\ **Post date:** [February 3, 2005, 6:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-about-a-gender-indicator/287870/43 "2005-02-03T18:18:28Z")
Still wouldn’t help with the transgendered posters. ---
**Author:** ![AncientHumanoid](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ancienthumanoid/32/278_2.png) [@AncientHumanoid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AncientHumanoid)\ **Post date:** [February 3, 2005, 11:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-about-a-gender-indicator/287870/44 "2005-02-03T23:48:12Z")
> [@elmwood](#): > > It could add more queries to the database… Well, it does need to be redecorated. ---
**Author:** ![Flamsterette\_X](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/41988e/32.png) [@Flamsterette\_X](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Flamsterette_X)\ **Post date:** [February 4, 2005, 12:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-about-a-gender-indicator/287870/45 "2005-02-04T00:40:00Z")
It would be cool… not that I’m mistaken for a guy most times. ---
**Author:** ![Kaitlyn](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/73ab20/32.png) [@Kaitlyn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kaitlyn)\ **Post date:** [February 4, 2005, 7:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-about-a-gender-indicator/287870/46 "2005-02-04T07:24:16Z")
> [@scotandrsn](#): > > Perhaps the board could activate the use of avatars, but have a requirement that your avatar consist of a notarized thumbnail photo of your genitalia. > > That would clear things up beyond a shadow of doubt. 😃 Not all the time. ---
**Author:** ![EvanS](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/59ef9b/32.png) [@EvanS](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/EvanS)\ **Post date:** [February 4, 2005, 7:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-about-a-gender-indicator/287870/47 "2005-02-04T07:39:10Z")
> [@elmwood](#): > > It could add more queries to the database SEE! Already it’s raising discrimination against gender preference! There’s already lots of us queries here already, **elmwood**. Get used to it! ---
**Author:** ![dogbutler](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dogbutler/32/428_2.png) [@dogbutler](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dogbutler)\ **Post date:** [February 4, 2005, 10:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-about-a-gender-indicator/287870/48 "2005-02-04T10:58:55Z")
> [@scotandrsn](#): > > Perhaps the board could activate the use of avatars, but have a requirement that your avatar consist of a notarized thumbnail photo of your genitalia. I’d need more than 100Kb to show off mine. 😃 ---
**Author:** ![Zakalwe](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/zakalwe/32/270_2.png) [@Zakalwe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zakalwe)\ **Post date:** [February 4, 2005, 12:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-about-a-gender-indicator/287870/49 "2005-02-04T12:42:57Z")
Why the concern over transgendered posters? Their gender is what they know it is. I don’t care what equipment they have (or don’t). I care that they are some lovely ladies! ---
**Author:** ![Uvula\_Donor](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/e19adc/32.png) [@Uvula\_Donor](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Uvula_Donor)\ **Post date:** [February 4, 2005, 12:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-about-a-gender-indicator/287870/50 "2005-02-04T12:58:40Z")
> [@scotandrsn](#): > > Perhaps the board could activate the use of avatars, but have a requirement that your avatar consist of a notarized thumbnail photo of your genitalia. > [@dogbutler](#): > > I’d need more than 100Kb to show off mine. > > 😃 So, you’re saying it would still fit on a floppy? ---
**Author:** ![dogbutler](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dogbutler/32/428_2.png) [@dogbutler](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dogbutler)\ **Post date:** [February 5, 2005, 12:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-about-a-gender-indicator/287870/51 "2005-02-05T00:45:45Z")
> [@scotandrsn](#): > > Perhaps the board could activate the use of avatars, but have a requirement that your avatar consist of a notarized thumbnail photo of your genitalia. > [@dogbutler](#): > > I’d need more than 100Kb to show off mine. > > 😃 > [@Uvula Donor](#): > > So, you’re saying it would still fit on a floppy? Actually it needs a large hard drive. ---
**Author:** ![EvanS](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/59ef9b/32.png) [@EvanS](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/EvanS)\ **Post date:** [February 5, 2005, 2:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-about-a-gender-indicator/287870/52 "2005-02-05T02:33:24Z")
> [@dogbutler](#): > > Actually it needs a large hard drive. Yeah, of 1920’s vintage… 100Kb hard drive… Haw, haw, haw! ---
**Author:** ![Gorgon\_Heap](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/f475e1/32.png) [@Gorgon\_Heap](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gorgon_Heap)\ **Post date:** [February 5, 2005, 5:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-about-a-gender-indicator/287870/53 "2005-02-05T05:11:31Z")
Meh. User prerogetive. Close-knit as this board might be, and especially with it being pay now, y’all may think it’s safe, but folks have their right to deny whatever info they want. I have a hundred friends here, all of whom I have met in person and I believe good cats and fair, but I’ve been around for a while, I have access to people, and I decided - _decided_ - to take that next step. If somebody wants to remain as anonymous as possible while enjoying our mighty wisdom, it’s their right, and I’ll not take not take it from them. That’s why we’re here to begin with. ---
**Author:** ![sjc](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/e5b9ba/32.png) [@sjc](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/sjc)\ **Post date:** [February 6, 2005, 4:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-about-a-gender-indicator/287870/54 "2005-02-06T04:03:51Z")
I am opposed to the idea. I agree with those dopers who like the fact that you judge the postings based on merit. It wouldn’t bother me too much if it happened, but I’d really rather it didn’t. I’ve mis-assigned a poster’s gender before and I like the cognitive dissonance of finding out I was wrong. In a small way it teaches me to be more open-minded. I think the accumulated instances of this have really educated me on gender misconceptions, perhaps even more than anything else. ---
**Author:** ![dogbutler](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dogbutler/32/428_2.png) [@dogbutler](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dogbutler)\ **Post date:** [February 6, 2005, 4:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-about-a-gender-indicator/287870/55 "2005-02-06T04:15:55Z")
> [@EvanS](#): > > Haw, haw, haw! [Jack?](http://www.chick.com/default.asp) ---
**Author:** ![lel](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/8797f3/32.png) [@lel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lel)\ **Post date:** [February 6, 2005, 4:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-about-a-gender-indicator/287870/56 "2005-02-06T04:23:05Z")
And inevitably if you had a gender field, someone would be a smartass like me and put something useless in there. I have a gender-neutral name for a reason, and I like it that way. Besides, see enough of my posts and it’s easy enough to discern my gender anyway. ---
**Author:** ![Green\_Bean](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/green_bean/32/1760_2.png) [@Green\_Bean](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Green_Bean)\ **Post date:** [February 6, 2005, 4:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-about-a-gender-indicator/287870/57 "2005-02-06T04:59:00Z")
> [@wolfstu](#): > > - Likes the idea that details about posters become known as part of immersion in the SDMB community instead of upfront in a way that allows potential prejudice of posts, intentional or subconscious, > - Sees no benefit to the gender label aside from solving the undisturbing pronoun issue. I agree with this whole post, but especially these two points. And what’s so hard about the gender pronoun thing. If I don’t know someone’s gender, I just say something like “I agree with what he/she said.” It’s a tiny bit awkward, but no big deal. Besides, if there was a gender option, and people chose not to disclose their gender, people would make assumptions about them based on _that_. I just don’t see why every little comment I make should be labeled so that everone knows it comes from a 55 year old black male. If it’s relevant, I’ll say so. ---
**Author:** ![Ignatz](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/3be4f8/32.png) [@Ignatz](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ignatz)\ **Post date:** [February 6, 2005, 7:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-about-a-gender-indicator/287870/58 "2005-02-06T19:27:33Z")
> [@scotandrsn](#): > > Perhaps the board could activate the use of avatars, but have a requirement that your avatar consist of a notarized thumbnail photo of your genitalia. > > That would clear things up beyond a shadow of doubt. 😃 > > But seriously, the day we start pigeonholing ourselves beyond the contents of our brains is the day I will renounce my membership. Oh, come on, show us your pigeonhole. ---
**Author:** ![EddyTeddyFreddy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/eddyteddyfreddy/32/18796_2.png) [@EddyTeddyFreddy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/EddyTeddyFreddy)\ **Post date:** [February 6, 2005, 7:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-about-a-gender-indicator/287870/59 "2005-02-06T19:42:27Z")
> [@Ignatz](#): > > Oh, come on, show us your pigeonhole. :: sniff :: I’ll have you know I have a peacockhole. Pigeonhole, indeed! 😛 ---
**Author:** ![EvanS](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/59ef9b/32.png) [@EvanS](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/EvanS)\ **Post date:** [February 6, 2005, 10:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-about-a-gender-indicator/287870/60 "2005-02-06T22:53:03Z")
> [@dogbutler](#): > > [Jack?](http://www.chick.com/default.asp) What was it gave me away? [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-about-a-gender-indicator/287870.md?page=2) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-about-a-gender-indicator/287870.md?page=4)