# Should the SDMB have an indicator to tell if a member is male or female? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [May 10, 2007, 1:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/should-the-sdmb-have-an-indicator-to-tell-if-a-member-is-male-or-female/403534 "2007-05-10T13:37:22Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Antinor01](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/ecae2f/32.png) [@Antinor01](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Antinor01)\ **Post date:** [May 10, 2007, 4:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/should-the-sdmb-have-an-indicator-to-tell-if-a-member-is-male-or-female/403534/21 "2007-05-10T16:06:43Z")
If you want to put your gender out there, you could always just add a note in the location field like some posters do or note it in your profile. People always want to know something about you, we really don’t need to take up space in the actual message board for all that random trivia on every post. ---
**Author:** ![Regallag\_The\_Axe](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/regallag_the_axe/32/445_2.png) [@Regallag\_The\_Axe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Regallag_The_Axe)\ **Post date:** [May 10, 2007, 4:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/should-the-sdmb-have-an-indicator-to-tell-if-a-member-is-male-or-female/403534/22 "2007-05-10T16:32:12Z")
[QUOTE=Antinor01] If you want to put your gender out there, you could always just add a note in the location field like some posters do or note it in your profile. People always want to know something about you, we really don’t need to take up space in the actual message board for all that random trivia on every post. [/QUOTE] We had a thread like this a while ago, and I liked this option best then. ---
**Author:** ![NurseCarmen](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/5daacb/32.png) [@NurseCarmen](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/NurseCarmen)\ **Post date:** [May 10, 2007, 4:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/should-the-sdmb-have-an-indicator-to-tell-if-a-member-is-male-or-female/403534/23 "2007-05-10T16:42:07Z")
Are there names here that are misleading gender wise? CAUTION: This post may contain penis. ---
**Author:** ![Sal\_Ammoniac](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/8dc957/32.png) [@Sal\_Ammoniac](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sal_Ammoniac)\ **Post date:** [May 10, 2007, 4:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/should-the-sdmb-have-an-indicator-to-tell-if-a-member-is-male-or-female/403534/24 "2007-05-10T16:44:15Z")
Me, I obligingly chose a username that reflects my gender. Or at least I thought I did, until I remembered “My Gal Sal.” ---
**Author:** ![OneCentStamp](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/13edae/32.png) [@OneCentStamp](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/OneCentStamp)\ **Post date:** [May 10, 2007, 4:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/should-the-sdmb-have-an-indicator-to-tell-if-a-member-is-male-or-female/403534/25 "2007-05-10T16:47:45Z")
[QUOTE=Telperien] Gender-specific insults are not necessary. Why can’t you just call everyone an asshole like I do? [/QUOTE] Well, we still need to be able to visualize whether said asshole is hairy and stinky, or pristine and smelling of sweet lilacs. ---
**Author:** ![Telperien](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/65b543/32.png) [@Telperien](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Telperien)\ **Post date:** [May 10, 2007, 4:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/should-the-sdmb-have-an-indicator-to-tell-if-a-member-is-male-or-female/403534/26 "2007-05-10T16:50:40Z")
[QUOTE=OneCentStamp] Well, we still need to be able to visualize whether said asshole is hairy and stinky, or pristine and smelling of sweet lilacs. [/QUOTE] Hmm, in that case, more help is needed than I can or will provide. ---
**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:** [May 10, 2007, 4:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/should-the-sdmb-have-an-indicator-to-tell-if-a-member-is-male-or-female/403534/27 "2007-05-10T16:57:48Z")
[QUOTE=NurseCarmen] Are there names here that are misleading gender wise? CAUTION: This post may contain penis. [/QUOTE] _She_ does have a good point. Like _her_ I for the most part have no trouble telling the gender of a poster based on their name. 😃 ---
**Author:** ![alphaboi867](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/alphaboi867/32/3898_2.png) [@alphaboi867](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/alphaboi867)\ **Post date:** [May 10, 2007, 5:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/should-the-sdmb-have-an-indicator-to-tell-if-a-member-is-male-or-female/403534/28 "2007-05-10T17:06:10Z")
[QUOTE=Freddy the Pig] Yes. Oh please, yes. A simple M or F will suffice. As long as the English language insists on separate pronouns for men and women, we need this. [/QUOTE] We can always use _E_, _eir_, and _em_. ---
**Author:** ![OneCentStamp](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/13edae/32.png) [@OneCentStamp](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/OneCentStamp)\ **Post date:** [May 10, 2007, 5:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/should-the-sdmb-have-an-indicator-to-tell-if-a-member-is-male-or-female/403534/29 "2007-05-10T17:10:26Z")
[QUOTE=Telperien] Hmm, in that case, more help is needed than I can or will provide. [/QUOTE] But (heh), you see, that’s what the “M” or “F” is for: drawing gross (heh) generalizations about the state of someone’s asshole based on gender. ---
**Author:** ![Slypork](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/9fc29f/32.png) [@Slypork](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Slypork)\ **Post date:** [May 10, 2007, 5:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/should-the-sdmb-have-an-indicator-to-tell-if-a-member-is-male-or-female/403534/30 "2007-05-10T17:17:09Z")
a/s/l? ---
**Author:** ![pizzabrat](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/e9c0ed/32.png) [@pizzabrat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pizzabrat)\ **Post date:** [May 10, 2007, 5:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/should-the-sdmb-have-an-indicator-to-tell-if-a-member-is-male-or-female/403534/31 "2007-05-10T17:21:46Z")
[QUOTE=Antinor01] If you want to put your gender out there, you could always just add a note in the location field like some posters do or note it in your profile. People always want to know something about you, we really don’t need to take up space in the actual message board for all that random trivia on every post. [/QUOTE] Great idea. I’m on it. ---
**Author:** ![Antinor01](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/ecae2f/32.png) [@Antinor01](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Antinor01)\ **Post date:** [May 10, 2007, 5:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/should-the-sdmb-have-an-indicator-to-tell-if-a-member-is-male-or-female/403534/32 "2007-05-10T17:24:04Z")
[QUOTE=pizzabrat] Great idea. I’m on it. [/QUOTE] I knew I had to be good for something around here. 😉 ---
**Author:** ![Cowboy8467](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/b5e925/32.png) [@Cowboy8467](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cowboy8467)\ **Post date:** [May 10, 2007, 5:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/should-the-sdmb-have-an-indicator-to-tell-if-a-member-is-male-or-female/403534/33 "2007-05-10T17:30:21Z")
[QUOTE=pizzabrat] Great idea. I’m on it. [/QUOTE] Wait a minute, are you kidding? I always thought you were female! ---
**Author:** ![tdn](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/94ad74/32.png) [@tdn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tdn)\ **Post date:** [May 10, 2007, 5:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/should-the-sdmb-have-an-indicator-to-tell-if-a-member-is-male-or-female/403534/34 "2007-05-10T17:37:07Z")
[QUOTE=NE Texan] x Other, please specify: [/QUOTE] x Man trapped in a man’s body, just not the right one, because if I were in the right body, I might more often find myself as a man trapped in a woman’s body, if you know what I mean Sheesh, do I really have to provide the most obvious answer myself? ---
**Author:** ![pizzabrat](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/e9c0ed/32.png) [@pizzabrat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pizzabrat)\ **Post date:** [May 10, 2007, 5:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/should-the-sdmb-have-an-indicator-to-tell-if-a-member-is-male-or-female/403534/35 "2007-05-10T17:44:01Z")
[QUOTE=Cowboy8467] Wait a minute, are you kidding? I always thought you were female! [/QUOTE] See. ---
**Author:** ![susan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/susan/32/17537_2.png) [@susan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/susan)\ **Post date:** [May 10, 2007, 7:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/should-the-sdmb-have-an-indicator-to-tell-if-a-member-is-male-or-female/403534/36 "2007-05-10T19:20:52Z")
> [@](#): > > smelling of sweet lilacs You don’t know a lot about whatever gender you think that is. ---
**Author:** ![OneCentStamp](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/13edae/32.png) [@OneCentStamp](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/OneCentStamp)\ **Post date:** [May 10, 2007, 7:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/should-the-sdmb-have-an-indicator-to-tell-if-a-member-is-male-or-female/403534/37 "2007-05-10T19:22:37Z")
[QUOTE=Shoshana] You don’t know a lot about whatever gender you think that is. [/QUOTE] If an asshole whooshes, and nobody sniffs it, does it smell of lilacs? 😃 ---
**Author:** ![Anaamika](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/5f9b8f/32.png) [@Anaamika](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Anaamika)\ **Post date:** [May 10, 2007, 7:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/should-the-sdmb-have-an-indicator-to-tell-if-a-member-is-male-or-female/403534/38 "2007-05-10T19:44:45Z")
I like the corrections. It’s funny. Though I probably would fill out the field if we had one…but pink and blue ribbons would make me puke. Ugh. But then again I don’t think I’ve often had a problem (maybe once or twice) peopel assume names that end in ‘a’ are female (waves to **Malacandra**!) So maybe i’m not the best one to say anything. ---
**Author:** ![Cat\_Whisperer](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cat_whisperer/32/4839_2.png) [@Cat\_Whisperer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cat_Whisperer)\ **Post date:** [May 10, 2007, 8:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/should-the-sdmb-have-an-indicator-to-tell-if-a-member-is-male-or-female/403534/39 "2007-05-10T20:40:37Z")
I don’t think we need an indicator. I’m always surprised, though, when someone thinks I’m a dude. And for the record, I do think men (and women, in different ways) treat posters differently when they find out someone is a woman. Maybe if I ever join a new board, I will represent myself as a male and see how that goes there. ---
**Author:** ![Kalhoun](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/3bc359/32.png) [@Kalhoun](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kalhoun)\ **Post date:** [May 10, 2007, 9:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/should-the-sdmb-have-an-indicator-to-tell-if-a-member-is-male-or-female/403534/40 "2007-05-10T21:28:48Z")
Nah. It’s like birthin’ babies! I love the surprise, even if I have to say 😕 [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/should-the-sdmb-have-an-indicator-to-tell-if-a-member-is-male-or-female/403534.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/should-the-sdmb-have-an-indicator-to-tell-if-a-member-is-male-or-female/403534.md?page=3)