# 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:** 14\ **Page:** 4
**Author:** ![Hilarity\_N.Suze](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hilarity_n.suze/32/6223_2.png) [@Hilarity\_N.Suze](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hilarity_N.Suze)\ **Post date:** [February 7, 2005, 5:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-about-a-gender-indicator/287870/61 "2005-02-07T05:20:50Z")
> [@Noone Special](#): > > I’m all for it, if only in order to see the hilarity that should ensue when some of our more creative members make up their own gender definitions… On the Internet no one knows if you’re really a cat. But actually this is the only internet thing I’ve _ever_ been on where everybody didn’t use their real names. So in those casesyou know who was what. Oh. Except for Chris, Courtney, Smith, Alex, Alix, Chris, Merle, and Simmons. ---
**Author:** ![zoogirl](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/b9bd4f/32.png) [@zoogirl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/zoogirl)\ **Post date:** [February 7, 2005, 6:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-about-a-gender-indicator/287870/62 "2005-02-07T06:00:32Z")
Hmmm… I don’t think anyone’s ever had a hard time figuring out what I am. 😉 I say have it and make it optional. Those that prefer to put it up, can, those that don’t, won’t. Simple. ---
**Author:** ![Iceland\_Blue](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/4bbf92/32.png) [@Iceland\_Blue](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Iceland_Blue)\ **Post date:** [February 7, 2005, 10:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-about-a-gender-indicator/287870/63 "2005-02-07T10:56:56Z")
> [@zoogirl](#): > > Hmmm… > > I don’t think anyone’s ever had a hard time figuring out what I am. 😉 Yes you are a zoog IRL 🙂 > [@](#): > > I say have it and make it optional. Those that prefer to put it up, can, those that don’t, won’t. > > Simple. So many double entendres in there… 😛 ---
**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:** [February 8, 2005, 2:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-about-a-gender-indicator/287870/64 "2005-02-08T02:48:21Z")
I have to say the text field is a good idea what with gender being fill-in-the-blanks (according to Kate Bornstein, anyway) and if an option were put in place, I would fill it out. If not, no problem. 🙂 But thank you **Scruloose** for starting this thread and reminding me: how’s about something like this… ---
**Author:** ![Sean\_Factotum](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/50afbb/32.png) [@Sean\_Factotum](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sean_Factotum)\ **Post date:** [February 8, 2005, 3:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-about-a-gender-indicator/287870/65 "2005-02-08T03:01:04Z")
I’m sure this is a subject that is important to some Dopers. But not to me. As far as I’m concerned, gender is not important. Now, If you want to screen people by IQ, give me a call, and I’ll be in there with what I think is a minimum we should require for posting. (Besides, if it was an optional field, people would just put in any smart-arsed remark they could come up with at that time. Just like location, et al.) ---
**Author:** ![Cervaise](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cervaise/32/16693_2.png) [@Cervaise](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cervaise)\ **Post date:** [February 8, 2005, 8:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-about-a-gender-indicator/287870/66 "2005-02-08T20:08:02Z")
Gender? You brought 'er! ---
**Author:** ![Marley23](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/45deac/32.png) [@Marley23](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Marley23)\ **Post date:** [February 9, 2005, 1:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-about-a-gender-indicator/287870/67 "2005-02-09T01:04:54Z")
> [@Cervaise](#): > > Gender? You brought 'er! No, it’s “Gender? I don’t even know her!” > [@sjc](#): > > I am opposed to the idea. I agree with those dopers who like the fact that you judge the postings based on merit. I guess nobody around here is into knowing things just for the sake of knowing them? I don’t think it’s necessary, but I’d be fine with it if it was an option. ---
**Author:** ![picunurse](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/7bcc69/32.png) [@picunurse](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/picunurse)\ **Post date:** [February 9, 2005, 1:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-about-a-gender-indicator/287870/68 "2005-02-09T01:52:25Z")
Now why would fighting ignorance require a gender? ---
**Author:** ![Bites\_When\_Provoked](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bites_when_provoked/32/18073_2.png) [@Bites\_When\_Provoked](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bites_When_Provoked)\ **Post date:** [February 9, 2005, 8:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-about-a-gender-indicator/287870/69 "2005-02-09T08:41:48Z")
On the other hand, why should it require one to be genderless? I feel quite capable of fighting ignorance with a vagina. Well, obviously not as a _weapon_ - though the mental imagery is so absolutely priceless that I’ve decided against rephrasing the last sentence. ---
**Author:** ![Marley23](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/45deac/32.png) [@Marley23](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Marley23)\ **Post date:** [February 9, 2005, 9:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-about-a-gender-indicator/287870/70 "2005-02-09T09:03:47Z")
> [@picunurse](#): > > Now why would fighting ignorance require a gender? Well, it would fight your ignorance of the gender of a particular poster if you were not previously aware of their gender. ---
**Author:** ![EvanS](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/59ef9b/32.png) [@EvanS](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/EvanS)\ **Post date:** [February 10, 2005, 12:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-about-a-gender-indicator/287870/71 "2005-02-10T00:06:54Z")
> [@Marley23](#): > > Well, it would fight your ignorance of the gender of a particular poster if you were not previously aware of their gender. Earth-shaking, indeed. ---
**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:** [March 1, 2005, 1:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-about-a-gender-indicator/287870/72 "2005-03-01T01:51:04Z")
Sorry to bump this thread. It’s just that upon looking at the Pit today, I discovered that apparently some folks are picking through other posters’ posts, and looking for inconsistencies. Why somebody would bother doing that to me, I have no idea, but just in case… > [@Green Bean](#): > > 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. I’m not a 55 year old black male. I was just feeling silly the day I wrote that post. And I can’t believe I felt the need to clarify this. ---
**Author:** ![Zhen\_ka](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/ecccb3/32.png) [@Zhen\_ka](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zhen_ka)\ **Post date:** [March 1, 2005, 6:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-about-a-gender-indicator/287870/73 "2005-03-01T06:06:31Z")
You didn’t need to clarify it. If you wanted to make a swipe, why not partipate in one of the Pit threads or start one of your own? ---
**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:** [March 1, 2005, 5:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-about-a-gender-indicator/287870/74 "2005-03-01T17:40:24Z")
> [@Zhen'ka](#): > > You didn’t need to clarify it. If you wanted to make a swipe, why not partipate in one of the Pit threads or start one of your own? 😕 It wasn’t a swipe. It was just what I said it was–an explanation of an apparent lie. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-about-a-gender-indicator/287870.md?page=3)