# Which Dopers do you always get their gender wrong? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [October 27, 2009, 7:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-dopers-do-you-always-get-their-gender-wrong/515339 "2009-10-27T19:43:26Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 5
**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:** [October 29, 2009, 3:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-dopers-do-you-always-get-their-gender-wrong/515339/81 "2009-10-29T15:19:26Z")
Hah, well mainly on myself, but if another girl’s boobs and skirt look good, I guess I like 'em. ---
**Author:** ![Dr.Drake](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/ad7895/32.png) [@Dr.Drake](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dr.Drake)\ **Post date:** [October 29, 2009, 3:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-dopers-do-you-always-get-their-gender-wrong/515339/82 "2009-10-29T15:47:15Z")
> [@gigi](#): > > Nah–all three of those are the generic name for the given animal. Exactly. Geez, do I have to kill the joke with explanations? **BlinkingDuck** boasts of his manliness. **Dr. Drake** , whose username is also inspired by _Anas platyrhynchos_, tries to one-up him by pointing out that, through a quirk of the language shared with a few other species on the farm (cows, geese), “duck” is either the generic or the female, but there’s a special and separate word for the male of the species. Fanfare. **Dr. Drake** glories in his secure and superior masculinity. Dopers race to their dictionaries and assume that **Dr. Drake** is idiotically insisting that “duck” always = female. They happily correct him and miss the admittedly minor bit of irony that while “duck” certainly _can_ include males, it isn’t really historically a very masculine word. ---
**Author:** ![BlinkingDuck](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/eada6e/32.png) [@BlinkingDuck](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BlinkingDuck)\ **Post date:** [October 29, 2009, 4:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-dopers-do-you-always-get-their-gender-wrong/515339/83 "2009-10-29T16:31:33Z")
> [@Dr.Drake](#): > > Dopers race to their dictionaries and assume that **Dr. Drake** is idiotically insisting that “duck” always = female. They happily correct him and miss the admittedly minor bit of irony that while “duck” certainly _can_ include males, it isn’t really historically a very masculine word. What?!?! That’s it mister! Meet me behind the powerhouse after school! ---
**Author:** ![Dr.Drake](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/ad7895/32.png) [@Dr.Drake](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dr.Drake)\ **Post date:** [October 29, 2009, 9:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-dopers-do-you-always-get-their-gender-wrong/515339/84 "2009-10-29T21:00:39Z")
::quacks menacingly:: It’s on, Mister.\* \*Footnote: In the actual _mano-a-mano_ (or _pato-a-pato_) contest, **Dr. Drake** ducked out and flew south. ---
**Author:** ![Lamia](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/8e7dd6/32.png) [@Lamia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lamia)\ **Post date:** [October 29, 2009, 10:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-dopers-do-you-always-get-their-gender-wrong/515339/85 "2009-10-29T22:52:10Z")
> [@Freudian\_Slit](#): > > If the name ends in “us” I usually assume it’s a guy. So to the OP, I’ve always assumed you were male. Same with **Malthus**. I often tend to assume dopers that end in -a are female. **Lamia** , **Aanamika** , etc. Funnily enough, I can remember a few times where other Dopers assumed I was a man. I would think that my username would give people the hint that I’m a woman even if they’re unfamiliar with my posting history. Even if they’re unfamiliar with the mythical lamia, I’d expect the “a” ending to come across as feminine. ---
**Author:** ![Fetchund](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/b2d939/32.png) [@Fetchund](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fetchund)\ **Post date:** [October 30, 2009, 2:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-dopers-do-you-always-get-their-gender-wrong/515339/86 "2009-10-30T02:00:00Z")
If I’m referenced at all in a thread, about 40% of the time the gender reference will be incorrect. ---
**Author:** ![ToeJam](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/dfb087/32.png) [@ToeJam](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ToeJam)\ **Post date:** [October 30, 2009, 2:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-dopers-do-you-always-get-their-gender-wrong/515339/87 "2009-10-30T02:24:51Z")
Are you a dude? ---
**Author:** ![Der\_Trihs](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/der_trihs/32/233_2.png) [@Der\_Trihs](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Der_Trihs)\ **Post date:** [October 30, 2009, 2:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-dopers-do-you-always-get-their-gender-wrong/515339/88 "2009-10-30T02:34:26Z")
**even sven**. Every time I see her name, I either see it as “ **Even Steven** ”, or have the image of a Viking named Sven. ---
**Author:** ![Malleus\_Incus\_Stapes](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/malleus_incus_stapes/32/3293_2.png) [@Malleus\_Incus\_Stapes](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Malleus_Incus_Stapes)\ **Post date:** [October 30, 2009, 3:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-dopers-do-you-always-get-their-gender-wrong/515339/89 "2009-10-30T03:01:00Z")
> [@Fetchund](#): > > If I’m referenced at all in a thread, about 40% of the time the gender reference will be incorrect. Enlighten us? ---
**Author:** ![Freudian\_Slit](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/5daacb/32.png) [@Freudian\_Slit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Freudian_Slit)\ **Post date:** [October 30, 2009, 3:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-dopers-do-you-always-get-their-gender-wrong/515339/90 "2009-10-30T03:01:51Z")
> [@Lamia](#): > > Funnily enough, I can remember a few times where other Dopers assumed I was a man. I would think that my username would give people the hint that I’m a woman even if they’re unfamiliar with my posting history. Even if they’re unfamiliar with the mythical lamia, I’d expect the “a” ending to come across as feminine. Yeah, that’s odd to me–all that Latin I took makes me see a and think feminine ending. I mean, I know there are exceptions. **Scylla** is a male poster, but most of the -a endings belong to girl dopers. ---
**Author:** ![Malleus\_Incus\_Stapes](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/malleus_incus_stapes/32/3293_2.png) [@Malleus\_Incus\_Stapes](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Malleus_Incus_Stapes)\ **Post date:** [October 30, 2009, 3:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-dopers-do-you-always-get-their-gender-wrong/515339/91 "2009-10-30T03:04:21Z")
> [@Reply](#): > > Whoa. Weird. I always thought you ( **Malleus, Incus, Stapes!** ) were a guy because your name sounds like some sort of spell incantation out of a video game. It’s the [three smallest bones](http://static.howstuffworks.com/gif/hearing-diagram-2.gif) in the human body, actually. ETA: My profile says that my location is “the middle ear”. When did location stop showing up in people’s posts? ---
**Author:** ![Lamia](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/8e7dd6/32.png) [@Lamia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lamia)\ **Post date:** [October 30, 2009, 3:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-dopers-do-you-always-get-their-gender-wrong/515339/92 "2009-10-30T03:09:40Z")
> [@Malleus\_Incus\_Stapes](#): > > ETA: My profile says that my location is “the middle ear”. When did location stop showing up in people’s posts? Locations only show up for paid members. I don’t remember them ever showing up for Guest accounts. ---
**Author:** ![Malleus\_Incus\_Stapes](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/malleus_incus_stapes/32/3293_2.png) [@Malleus\_Incus\_Stapes](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Malleus_Incus_Stapes)\ **Post date:** [October 30, 2009, 3:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-dopers-do-you-always-get-their-gender-wrong/515339/93 "2009-10-30T03:13:51Z")
That explains it. ---
**Author:** ![Serenata67](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/serenata67/32/10646_2.png) [@Serenata67](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Serenata67)\ **Post date:** [October 30, 2009, 3:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-dopers-do-you-always-get-their-gender-wrong/515339/94 "2009-10-30T03:19:31Z")
There have been a couple times I’ve been thought of as a man. (I’m a woman.) I’m bisexual, so there were a few posts where I talked about being with my “ex girlfriend” or some other “hot chick” … then there was the obligatory, “are you a dude or chick?” question. ---
**Author:** ![Hockey\_Monkey](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/a183cd/32.png) [@Hockey\_Monkey](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hockey_Monkey)\ **Post date:** [October 30, 2009, 4:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-dopers-do-you-always-get-their-gender-wrong/515339/95 "2009-10-30T04:55:49Z")
> [@Sidney Evgeni Jordan](#): > > **Covered\_in\_Bees!** is a girl, right? > > 😃 I also had that wrong. > > Oh, and I’m a girl with a boy name (actually, three boys’ names) And a Penguins fan to boot! Everyone assumes I’m a guy too. ---
**Author:** ![ToeJam](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/dfb087/32.png) [@ToeJam](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ToeJam)\ **Post date:** [October 30, 2009, 5:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-dopers-do-you-always-get-their-gender-wrong/515339/96 "2009-10-30T05:57:21Z")
Nevermind. ---
**Author:** ![Elendil\_s\_Heir](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/7cd45c/32.png) [@Elendil\_s\_Heir](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Elendil_s_Heir)\ **Post date:** [October 30, 2009, 2:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-dopers-do-you-always-get-their-gender-wrong/515339/97 "2009-10-30T14:35:04Z")
Seeing **Covered in Bees** ’s username always reminds me of Lincoln’s remark that he liked preachers “who look like they’re fighting bees.” ---
**Author:** ![Fetchund](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/b2d939/32.png) [@Fetchund](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fetchund)\ **Post date:** [November 1, 2009, 3:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-dopers-do-you-always-get-their-gender-wrong/515339/98 "2009-11-01T03:09:01Z")
> [@Malleus\_Incus\_Stapes](#): > > Enlighten us? Female (although delightfully butch!) ---
**Author:** ![JR\_Brown](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/d6d6ee/32.png) [@JR\_Brown](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JR_Brown)\ **Post date:** [November 2, 2009, 6:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-dopers-do-you-always-get-their-gender-wrong/515339/99 "2009-11-02T18:45:33Z")
So far there has been a 100% ascription of maleness to me. Even while talking about girly stuff like, say, sewing. Although admittedly my name isn’t much help. Perhaps I should petition to change it to **Girly McGirlperson**. I have no ability whatsoever to remember who here is what gender, and so must avoid third-person singular pronouns when posting… ---
**Author:** ![villa](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/bc79bd/32.png) [@villa](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/villa)\ **Post date:** [November 2, 2009, 6:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-dopers-do-you-always-get-their-gender-wrong/515339/100 "2009-11-02T18:59:25Z")
> [@Freudian\_Slit](#): > > Yeah, that’s odd to me–all that Latin I took makes me see a and think feminine ending. I mean, I know there are exceptions. **Scylla** is a male poster, but most of the -a endings belong to girl dopers. Well no one knows me well enough to mistake me for anything… But despite the -a, I am male. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-dopers-do-you-always-get-their-gender-wrong/515339.md?page=4) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-dopers-do-you-always-get-their-gender-wrong/515339.md?page=6)