[answered]The gender issue raises its head again!

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The problem of using a wrong personal pronoun in a posting just came up again in the thread "Passage...Where do you go after you die." Take a look.

Isn't there some way to deal with this so that it does not come up as often as it does?

Can't we work an indicator into the screen name so that if a person with a non-descriptive screen name wants to be addressed as a male or as a female -- we can know each time we post? And of course, if it doesn't matter to the person, that should be indicated also.

Are there any suggestions that you think will work?

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Type: Discussion • Score: 2 • Views: 1,616 • Replies: 19

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If anyone chooses to reveal whether they are male or female, can add the info to their profile or signature. I have observed gender symbols on other forums.

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Frank, I just plain ask if the member is male or female. It keeps us from having awkward moments by assuming certain things.

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Eventually gender will be an optional profile field. Till then there's not anything the site can do to help and it'll be up to the individuals.

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Hi Letty, no bate'n around the bush with you. Laughing

:wink:

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Sure ain't no flies on Miss Letty . . .

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smokin' and Setanta. Why not be who we are? Remember the song from Flower Drum Song? "I enjoy being a girl". Hmmmm. Might have to change that to "I enjoy being a woman." <smile>

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hmm

well, if it matters to someone whether others know their gender, wouldn't it be best if they selected a posting name that reflects a gender?

i know that when i've posted at Abuzz under one of my genderless tags, i'm usually thought to be a lad. most famously when people thought i was really General Lee. On another occasion, a poster thought I was really cjhsa.

Since I hate being referred to as ma'am, and sir is even worse, i decided to stick with a 'girlie' name.

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do we all want to use the neutral gender "it" (and use the term "person") to avoid damaging any sensibilities ? hbg ... i don't think anyone should take offence for not being addressed with the proper gender. after all we are all A MENSCH are we not ? hbg

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Beth, I could never forget your name..it's the same as my daughter's...besides that..I've seen Razz

your pitcher....

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IMO, anyone with a genderless name and avatar should not take offense at a gender error made.

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In my opinion I was practically made out to be a "perv" when I raised the subject end of last year. I still can't understand why one gets so uptight about this. I have absolutely no problem in declaring that I am male and
don't try to hide it. But as they say, "It's a funny old world". Smile

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When I first joined a forum 5 years ago, I purposely did not announce my sex. I wanted people to relate to my words, and not my gender.

For months, (and this happened many times), people would automatically assume that I was a male. It was only when I was feeling more comfortable being on a forum, and I shared some personal information (like mentioning that I had a husband) that people finally realized that I was a woman.

What is interesting, is that many people feel uncomfortable not knowing whether a poster is male or female. It seems to me that this happens because of our socialization process, where we are taught to relate differentially to males and females.

It would be nice if English could develop some words that would not be gender specific. Writing him/her, or his/hers is so stilted. Automatically using "his" or "him" when talking about people in general simply reinforces the old cultural notion of male superiority.

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Phoenix32890 wrote:

It would be nice if English could develop some words that would not be gender specific. Writing him/her, or his/hers is so stilted. Automatically using "his" or "him" when talking about people in general simply reinforces the old cultural notion of male superiority.

AMEN!

Not because it is important whether someone is male or female -- but because using gender specific personal pronouns becomes a pain.

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i'm in agreement w/ phoenix & frank about developing a genderless personal pronoun.....

what about "shim" ?

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I liked ehBeth's usage of she/he/it. You will just not believe how this was abbreviated before using search and change function in the word processor.

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Rog- Thanks for the laugh!

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good thing this is not a german site . wouldn't it be just too much to enter the NEUTER house through the FEMALE door, only to sit down at the MALE table ! (i sometimes have trouble remembering all the rules when speaking german). hbg

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No problem, hamburger. When I was trying to speak German, I just made everything plural. Since women tend to run in packs, the very practical rule is that plurals are feminine.

Anyhow, I guess that's the reasoning.

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rog- Run in packs, my Aunt Tallulah. Harrumph!!!!!

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[answered]The gender issue raises its head again!

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