# What is the male to female ratio on The Straight Dope? **URL:** \ **Category:** About This Message Board\ **Created:** [July 3, 2017, 4:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-male-to-female-ratio-on-the-straight-dope/790444 "2017-07-03T16:21:39Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Silver\_lining](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/aca169/32.png) [@Silver\_lining](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Silver_lining)\ **Post date:** [July 3, 2017, 4:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-male-to-female-ratio-on-the-straight-dope/790444/1 "2017-07-03T16:21:39Z")
What is the male to female ratio on The Straight Dope? I’d guess 70/30, but its just a guess. ---
**Author:** ![yo\_han\_go](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/yo_han_go/32/130_2.png) [@yo\_han\_go](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/yo_han_go)\ **Post date:** [July 3, 2017, 4:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-male-to-female-ratio-on-the-straight-dope/790444/2 "2017-07-03T16:26:36Z")
60/40? My guess. And average age is about 49. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![Silver\_lining](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/aca169/32.png) [@Silver\_lining](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Silver_lining)\ **Post date:** [July 3, 2017, 4:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-male-to-female-ratio-on-the-straight-dope/790444/3 "2017-07-03T16:38:22Z")
> [@yo\_han\_go](#): > > 60/40? My guess. And average age is about 49. 🙂 Well, they say Women like to talk a bit more, but I have a feeling the inverse is true when it comes to a web forum. ---
**Author:** ![dolphinboy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dolphinboy/32/330_2.png) [@dolphinboy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dolphinboy)\ **Post date:** [July 3, 2017, 4:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-male-to-female-ratio-on-the-straight-dope/790444/4 "2017-07-03T16:48:05Z")
You could do a poll in IMHO and find out roughly what the ratio is. ---
**Author:** ![engineer\_comp\_geek](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/engineer_comp_geek/32/504_2.png) [@engineer\_comp\_geek](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/engineer_comp_geek)\ **Post date:** [July 3, 2017, 5:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-male-to-female-ratio-on-the-straight-dope/790444/5 "2017-07-03T17:20:42Z")
**Moderator Action** Since this is a question about the message board itself, let’s move it to ATMB (from GQ). ---
**Author:** ![Spice\_Weasel](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/spice_weasel/32/5435_2.png) [@Spice\_Weasel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Spice_Weasel)\ **Post date:** [July 3, 2017, 5:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-male-to-female-ratio-on-the-straight-dope/790444/6 "2017-07-03T17:32:18Z")
I’ve thought of starting a poll because I am also curious. I’d guess 70/30 also. ---
**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:** [July 3, 2017, 5:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-male-to-female-ratio-on-the-straight-dope/790444/7 "2017-07-03T17:51:27Z")
I am curious too. Poll started in ATMB. [link](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=830200) mmm ---
**Author:** ![DPRK](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/4491bb/32.png) [@DPRK](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DPRK)\ **Post date:** [July 3, 2017, 6:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-male-to-female-ratio-on-the-straight-dope/790444/8 "2017-07-03T18:21:31Z")
Anyone who guessed at a ratio other than 50/50, what prior probability distribution are you basing this on? ---
**Author:** ![Reply](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/reply/32/15952_2.png) [@Reply](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Reply)\ **Post date:** [July 3, 2017, 7:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-male-to-female-ratio-on-the-straight-dope/790444/9 "2017-07-03T19:59:45Z")
Well, you can browse through the SDMB portrait gallery to get a sense of who people are: [http://www.nouilles.info/sdpix/](http://www.nouilles.info/sdpix/) ---
**Author:** ![Spice\_Weasel](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/spice_weasel/32/5435_2.png) [@Spice\_Weasel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Spice_Weasel)\ **Post date:** [July 3, 2017, 8:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-male-to-female-ratio-on-the-straight-dope/790444/10 "2017-07-03T20:06:48Z")
> [@Reply](#): > > Well, you can browse through the SDMB portrait gallery to get a sense of who people are: > > [http://www.nouilles.info/sdpix/](http://www.nouilles.info/sdpix/) Huh. I’m listed under my old user handle. I wonder if anything can be done about that. ---
**Author:** ![Mars\_Horizon](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mars_horizon/32/2804_2.png) [@Mars\_Horizon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mars_Horizon)\ **Post date:** [July 3, 2017, 8:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-male-to-female-ratio-on-the-straight-dope/790444/11 "2017-07-03T20:45:50Z")
> [@Spice\_Weasel](#): > > Huh. I’m listed under my old user handle. I wonder if anything can be done about that. contact **Arnold**. He will get right on it. 😃 ---
**Author:** ![LSLGuy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lslguy/32/5813_2.png) [@LSLGuy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LSLGuy)\ **Post date:** [July 3, 2017, 8:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-male-to-female-ratio-on-the-straight-dope/790444/12 "2017-07-03T20:55:18Z")
> [@Silver\_lining](#): > > What is the male to female ratio on The Straight Dope? > > I’d guess 70/30, but its just a guess. Do you want the sex ratio of registered members, currently active posters, of all posts, or of posts over, say, the last 3 years? I suspect you’re going to get four rather different answers to the four rather different questions. I bet they all skew a little male, but not hugely so. I also suspect there’s a big difference between the sex ratios of at least some of the various forums. ---
**Author:** ![Darren\_Garrison](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/darren_garrison/32/92_2.png) [@Darren\_Garrison](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Darren_Garrison)\ **Post date:** [July 3, 2017, 9:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-male-to-female-ratio-on-the-straight-dope/790444/13 "2017-07-03T21:40:09Z")
I’m guessing somewhere around the inverse of Surf City. ---
**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:** [July 4, 2017, 1:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-male-to-female-ratio-on-the-straight-dope/790444/14 "2017-07-04T01:15:39Z")
> [@Reply](#): > > Well, you can browse through the SDMB portrait gallery to get a sense of who people are: > > [http://www.nouilles.info/sdpix/](http://www.nouilles.info/sdpix/) Nah. That has additional variables: those who are willing to show a picture of themselves. And people who have been around a long time, since the owner hasn’t really been active in a while. Of course, a poll also has additional variables, like who actually checks out ATMB and who votes in polls, but I think that is less likely to skew any specific direction. ---
**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:** [July 4, 2017, 1:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-male-to-female-ratio-on-the-straight-dope/790444/15 "2017-07-04T01:17:23Z")
> [@DPRK](#): > > Anyone who guessed at a ratio other than 50/50, what prior probability distribution are you basing this on? Just how many times I remember interacting with explicitly female vs. explicitly male posters. I interact with women often enough, but it doesn’t feel like it’s quite half the time. ---
**Author:** ![Reply](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/reply/32/15952_2.png) [@Reply](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Reply)\ **Post date:** [July 4, 2017, 2:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-male-to-female-ratio-on-the-straight-dope/790444/16 "2017-07-04T02:52:08Z")
> [@BigT](#): > > Nah. That has additional variables: those who are willing to show a picture of themselves. And people who have been around a long time, since the owner hasn’t really been active in a while. > > Of course, a poll also has additional variables, like who actually checks out ATMB and who votes in polls, but I think that is less likely to skew any specific direction. Yep, all very true. Edit: Also, my god, has it been that long? We were young, once…! ---
**Author:** ![Crazyhorse](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/crazyhorse/32/31_2.png) [@Crazyhorse](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Crazyhorse)\ **Post date:** [July 4, 2017, 7:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-male-to-female-ratio-on-the-straight-dope/790444/17 "2017-07-04T07:29:13Z")
According to a not very rigorous or well-controlled study I just did using Google search, the board is 57.8% female and 42.2% male. That is for all time and not just current posters. That figure is based on counts of posts that contain the following phrases: “I’m male” 3050 “I’m a male” 15000 “I’m a man” 15200 “I am male” 1500 “I am a male” 7540 “I am a man” 31600 “I’m a guy” 17600 “I am a guy” 31100 “I’m a dude” 4530 “I am a dude” 8 “I’m a boy” 13200 “I am a boy” 5 **140333 42.2%** “I’m female” 1620 “I’m a female” 17100 “I’m a woman” 63300 “I am female” 1900 “I am a female” 8140 “I am a woman” 29400 “I’m a lady” 8900 “I am a lady” 4240 “I’m a chick” 3800 “I am a chick” 1710 “I’m a girl” 36000 “I am a girl” 16000 **192210 57.8%** The reasons this isn’t very reliable are many. These are only posers who identified their sex, did so by using one of those phrases, and weren’t just using the phrase as part of a post. For example “I’m a man” finds threads with the lyrics to Lola by the Kinks. ---
**Author:** ![yo\_han\_go](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/yo_han_go/32/130_2.png) [@yo\_han\_go](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/yo_han_go)\ **Post date:** [July 4, 2017, 10:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-male-to-female-ratio-on-the-straight-dope/790444/18 "2017-07-04T10:22:37Z")
> [@Crazyhorse](#): > > According to a not very rigorous or well-controlled study I just did using Google search, the board is 57.8% female and 42.2% male. That is for all time and not just current posters. > > That figure is based on counts of posts that contain the following phrases: > > “I’m male” 3050 > “I’m a male” 15000 > “I’m a man” 15200 > “I am male” 1500 > “I am a male” 7540 > “I am a man” 31600 > “I’m a guy” 17600 > “I am a guy” 31100 > “I’m a dude” 4530 > “I am a dude” 8 > “I’m a boy” 13200 > “I am a boy” 5 > **140333 42.2%** > > “I’m female” 1620 > “I’m a female” 17100 > “I’m a woman” 63300 > “I am female” 1900 > “I am a female” 8140 > “I am a woman” 29400 > “I’m a lady” 8900 > “I am a lady” 4240 > “I’m a chick” 3800 > “I am a chick” 1710 > “I’m a girl” 36000 > “I am a girl” 16000 > **192210 57.8%** > > The reasons this isn’t very reliable are many. These are only posers who identified their sex, did so by using one of those phrases, and weren’t just using the phrase as part of a post. For example “I’m a man” finds threads with the lyrics to Lola by the Kinks. So wrong on so many levels but even funnier on some more levels. Just to point out: “I am a boy” 5 “I am a girl” 16000 But yes. General numbers make sense to me. ---
**Author:** ![naita](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/naita/32/5862_2.png) [@naita](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/naita)\ **Post date:** [July 4, 2017, 10:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-male-to-female-ratio-on-the-straight-dope/790444/19 "2017-07-04T10:49:00Z")
> [@Silver\_lining](#): > > Well, they say Women like to talk a bit more, but I have a feeling the inverse is true when it comes to a web forum. “They say”, sure. Science on the other had says “They” are incapable of unbiased observation and analysis. ---
**Author:** ![raventhief](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/raventhief/32/4_2.png) [@raventhief](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/raventhief)\ **Post date:** [July 4, 2017, 4:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-male-to-female-ratio-on-the-straight-dope/790444/20 "2017-07-04T16:56:35Z")
> [@Silver\_lining](#): > > Well, they say Women like to talk a bit more, but I have a feeling the inverse is true when it comes to a web forum. “They” say a lot of things, but “They” are often wrong. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-male-to-female-ratio-on-the-straight-dope/790444.md?page=2)