# Is she or isn't he? **URL:** \ **Category:** About This Message Board\ **Created:** [February 25, 2013, 10:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-she-or-isnt-he/651381 "2013-02-25T22:36:39Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![moriah](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/b2d939/32.png) [@moriah](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/moriah)\ **Post date:** [February 25, 2013, 10:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-she-or-isnt-he/651381/1 "2013-02-25T22:36:39Z")
Did you know members can put alt-symbols in their location to signal their gender? Alt-11 is ♂ Alt-12 is ♀ So, I was tired of people she-(he?)-ing in reference to me. That is all. ---
**Author:** ![EmilyG](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/emilyg/32/364_2.png) [@EmilyG](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/EmilyG)\ **Post date:** [February 25, 2013, 10:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-she-or-isnt-he/651381/2 "2013-02-25T22:43:32Z")
I think that’s a nice idea. I’ve sometimes wondered about the gender of posters. Though with me, almost everyone can guess my gender by my username. ---
**Author:** ![VinylTurnip](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/b2d939/32.png) [@VinylTurnip](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/VinylTurnip)\ **Post date:** [February 25, 2013, 10:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-she-or-isnt-he/651381/3 "2013-02-25T22:45:30Z")
Yeah, I guess. Or you could just not have such a girly name. C’mon, **moriah** , sing us a song! Heh heh! ---
**Author:** ![Drunky\_Smurf](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/drunky_smurf/32/449_2.png) [@Drunky\_Smurf](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Drunky_Smurf)\ **Post date:** [February 25, 2013, 10:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-she-or-isnt-he/651381/4 "2013-02-25T22:46:28Z")
Yeah, Emilyg, is a well known Norwegian males name. 😛 ---
**Author:** ![Procrustus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/procrustus/32/2994_2.png) [@Procrustus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Procrustus)\ **Post date:** [February 25, 2013, 10:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-she-or-isnt-he/651381/5 "2013-02-25T22:54:51Z")
> [@moriah](#): > > Alt-11 is ♂ > Alt-12 is ♀ I always forget which is which. ---
**Author:** ![Drunky\_Smurf](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/drunky_smurf/32/449_2.png) [@Drunky\_Smurf](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Drunky_Smurf)\ **Post date:** [February 25, 2013, 11:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-she-or-isnt-he/651381/6 "2013-02-25T23:14:51Z")
The male one has a boner sticking up. ---
**Author:** ![TBG](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/c89c15/32.png) [@TBG](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TBG)\ **Post date:** [February 26, 2013, 12:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-she-or-isnt-he/651381/7 "2013-02-26T00:49:38Z")
Only works if you’re a member or better, though. No locations for us guests. And I never know which is which either, Procrustus. ---
**Author:** ![Colibri](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/colibri/32/1841_2.png) [@Colibri](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Colibri)\ **Post date:** [February 26, 2013, 1:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-she-or-isnt-he/651381/8 "2013-02-26T01:53:51Z")
> [@Procrustus](#): > > I always forget which is which. It may help if you remember that the symbols represent the shield and spear of Mars, and the mirror of Venus. ---
**Author:** ![moriah](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/b2d939/32.png) [@moriah](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/moriah)\ **Post date:** [February 26, 2013, 2:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-she-or-isnt-he/651381/9 "2013-02-26T02:01:23Z")
> [@TBG](#): > > Only works if you’re a member or better, though. No locations for us guests. I guess, then, you have to pay to have sex. ---
**Author:** ![Digital\_is\_the\_new\_Analog](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/a88e4f/32.png) [@Digital\_is\_the\_new\_Analog](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Digital_is_the_new_Analog)\ **Post date:** [February 26, 2013, 2:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-she-or-isnt-he/651381/10 "2013-02-26T02:35:38Z")
'Eh…why not! I added one to my location. I also did a Bing search for “male female signal” to double check the meaning. The second link was for “Best prices of male female symbol.” Nice. ---
**Author:** ![Patty\_O\_Furniture](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/96bed5/32.png) [@Patty\_O\_Furniture](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Patty_O_Furniture)\ **Post date:** [February 26, 2013, 3:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-she-or-isnt-he/651381/11 "2013-02-26T15:26:35Z")
Testing sig ---
**Author:** ![Nzinga\_Seated](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/b5ac83/32.png) [@Nzinga\_Seated](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Nzinga_Seated)\ **Post date:** [February 27, 2013, 5:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-she-or-isnt-he/651381/12 "2013-02-27T05:31:42Z")
> [@Drunky\_Smurf](#): > > The male one has a boner sticking up. That’s how I taught _my_self to remember it. Admittedly, Colibri’s way sounds more classy. ---
**Author:** ![MeanOldLady](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/meanoldlady/32/10737_2.png) [@MeanOldLady](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MeanOldLady)\ **Post date:** [February 27, 2013, 6:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-she-or-isnt-he/651381/13 "2013-02-27T06:40:41Z")
My totally sexist way of remembering was that the women’s symbol looks like a plus sign, and being a woman is a good thing. ---
**Author:** ![Slow\_Moving\_Vehicle](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/slow_moving_vehicle/32/291_2.png) [@Slow\_Moving\_Vehicle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Slow_Moving_Vehicle)\ **Post date:** [February 27, 2013, 12:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-she-or-isnt-he/651381/14 "2013-02-27T12:19:45Z")
> [@moriah](#): > > I guess, then, you have to pay to have sex. So, the SDMB is like a whorehouse? Great, now I have this image of Little Ed in red hot pants and fishnet stockings… ---
**Author:** ![Mean\_Mr.Mustard](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mean_mr.mustard/32/3865_2.png) [@Mean\_Mr.Mustard](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mean_Mr.Mustard)\ **Post date:** [February 27, 2013, 1:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-she-or-isnt-he/651381/15 "2013-02-27T13:48:35Z")
> [@MeanOldLady](#): > > My totally sexist way of remembering was that the women’s symbol looks like a plus sign, and being a woman is a good thing. I’ve always likened it to a hand mirror. Hand mirror = woman. mmm ---
**Author:** ![shijinn](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/cc9497/32.png) [@shijinn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/shijinn)\ **Post date:** [February 27, 2013, 1:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-she-or-isnt-he/651381/16 "2013-02-27T13:59:41Z")
the woman gets a positive sign for being pregnant and the guy takes off in the opposite direction. ---
**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:** [February 28, 2013, 1:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-she-or-isnt-he/651381/17 "2013-02-28T01:03:51Z")
I’ve always remembered which is which from an old _Wizard of Id_ cartoon. A boy is taught them and then sees Rodney – with spear sticking up from his holder in the back at the appropriate angle – walking with the priest – who has a bald, round head and the cross hanging down from it. The kid asks Rodney why his wife is bald. ---
**Author:** ![Yorikke](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/yorikke/32/4335_2.png) [@Yorikke](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Yorikke)\ **Post date:** [February 28, 2013, 1:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-she-or-isnt-he/651381/18 "2013-02-28T01:28:10Z")
> [@Drunky\_Smurf](#): > > The male one has a boner sticking up. I always think of the down-pointing cross as a penis. Then I think, “it’s the opposite - the sign with the penis means female.” Seriously. Took me about 10 years to nail it down. ---
**Author:** ![jz78817](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jz78817/32/1028_2.png) [@jz78817](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jz78817)\ **Post date:** [February 28, 2013, 1:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-she-or-isnt-he/651381/19 "2013-02-28T01:53:14Z")
> [@Colibri](#): > > It may help if you remember that the symbols represent the shield and spear of Mars, and the mirror of Venus. that… really isn’t helpful. ---
**Author:** ![Kent\_Clark](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kent_clark/32/105_2.png) [@Kent\_Clark](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kent_Clark)\ **Post date:** [February 28, 2013, 2:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-she-or-isnt-he/651381/20 "2013-02-28T02:08:18Z")
I’m secure enough in my masculinity and enlightened enough in my attitudes that when another poster confuses me for a woman I take it as a compliment that I’ve transcended tradional gender stereotyping.