Distinguishing between genders....

[DBZgirl88]

[COLOR=#004a6f]It would be nice if there was an easy way to tell if an OtakuBoards member is male or female. Maybe we can have an option to specify our gender, and when we post, our name can be in a certain color if we're male or female (doesn't have to be blue and pink mind you).

I've been mistaken for a boy for quite a while. I thought that people could tell by my style of writing that I was a girl, but I was wrong. I also used to think that Zeta was a girl, lol. We need a way to clear up these misconceptions.[/COLOR]

[AzureWolf]

[FONT=book antiqua][SIZE=2][COLOR=blue]OMFG! What a brilliant idea! I think confusion with genders may be [B][U]the biggest problem[/U][/B] facing OB to date! It is imperative that this issue be dealt with post-haste!

*recomposes himself* Ahem, so yes, the idea is nice. Maybe you could just use the sex symbol thing. There's like, room where our name, status, title, and custom title are (could be next to the status symbol or the status symbol itself). And if anyone has trouble keeping track of which symbol means what, just remember: Men want it to grow, women want to cut it off. :D

*dodges barrage of tomatoes*[/COLOR][/SIZE][/FONT]

[Godelsensei]

Being mistaken for the opposite gender can have funny resulst, most of the time.

It would take so much away from OB if we could really know for sure whether Azure was a man or a woman.

Besides, who gives a crap? It's the internet.

[Dagger]

[QUOTE=Godelsensei]Being mistaken for the opposite gender can have funny resulst, most of the time.

It would take so much away from OB if we could really know for sure whether Azure was a man or a woman.

Besides, who gives a crap? It's the internet.[/QUOTE]
I'm with Godel. Personally, I always get a huge kick out of being mistaken for the gender I'm not. ;)

Anyway, I don't think it's really necessary to distinguish between genders--if it bothers you, there are plenty of places where you can make your own gender clear (i.e. your custom title, your signature and certain parts of your profile). I've been to forums that mark almost every user as male or female (although one can opt out of it, if one so chooses), and for some reason the practice always makes me vaguely uncomfortable.

~Dagger~

[DBZgirl88]

[COLOR=#004a6f][QUOTE=Dagger IX1]I'm with Godel. Personally, I always get a huge kick out of being mistaken for the gender I'm not. ;)

Anyway, I don't think it's really necessary to distinguish between genders--if it bothers you, there are plenty of places where you can make your own gender clear (i.e. your custom title, your signature and certain parts of your profile). I've been to forums that mark almost every user as male or female (although one can opt out of it, if one so chooses), and for some reason the practice always makes me vaguely uncomfortable.

~Dagger~[/QUOTE]Well, I did state there should be an [B]option[/B] to specify your gender. If you felt uncomfortable with that for any reason, or you simply love the thrill of "mystery", then you simply don't specify it.[/COLOR]

[Dagger]

[quote name='Chabichou][COLOR=#004a6f]Well, I did state there should be an [B]option[/B'] to specify your gender. If you felt uncomfortable with that for any reason, or you simply love the thrill of "mystery", then you simply don't specify it.[/COLOR][/quote]
To me it seemed like you wanted the option to be something visible near the user's every post, just like an avatar or custom title. If what you'd actually prefer is to add an extra category to the "Additional Information" part of your profile (i.e. "Gender," followed by the usual blank space which allows one to either respond seriously, crack a joke or ignore it altogether), then I've no problem with that.

~Dagger~

[ArunueShekamari]

[font=Book Antiqua][color=gray]I think it's a wonderfull idea for an [b]option[/b], as you stated. Bravo on coming up with that one.[/color][/font]
[font=Book Antiqua][color=gray](I for one don't like being mistaken for a guy....;-; though i'm flattered people think i'm masculine.)[/color][/font]

[Annie]

[color=darkslategray]It is an [b]option[/b]. Meaning, people could [b]choose[/b] whether to state they were male or female. So, the option would kind of be pointless. There will be people who don't want their gender identified.

If my name wasn't clearly gender identifying, I wouldn't put my gender up--if it were an option. Some people just like the mystery.

The option would be nice and it may help. But, you'll still have to guess for some people. [/color]

[Ezekiel]

[COLOR=LightBlue][SIZE=1]I actually like being mistaken for a guy, to quote MehrLicht from an AIM conversation after I signed up for an RP;
'Damn, you do better guy sign ups than most guys!!'

I found it very funny, but I digress.

It is a good idea to have this as an option, I don't believe that a lot of girls mind being considered male, but guys could find it highly offensive. Even though you could have it in your sig or custom title, having to put 'By the way, I'm actually a *insert gender here*' can...spoil the effect people are going for?

Whatever, you know what I'm talking about. I say, go with Azure! The option to have the symbol next to the username or whatnot is a brilliant idea!

Note: I actually managed to get 'I digress' into one of my posts. Score![/SIZE][/COLOR]

[Semjaza]

I just think of everyone here as androgynous until I know better. Allows me to avoid a lot of potential problems.

Even if it were an addition here, I'd imagine it would be completely optional anyway. Those who would feel uncomfortable using it wouldn't have to.

[Baron Samedi]

[size=1]If you are referring to somebody in a post, use their name instead of 'he' or 'she'. With most people it is fairly obvious 'what' they are, aside from the ambiguous cases such as Azure ;)

In all fairness, I don't think it matters. If anything, a little note inside the profile would be adequate. I don't think that cluttering up the postbit with what is essentially unnecessary information is worth it.[/size]

[Morpheus]

[quote name='Semjaza Azazel']Even if it were an option on here, I'd imagine it would be completely optional [/quote]
I'd hope so. I hate it when my options become necessities.

I think it would be a good idea to put the symbol at the end of the sig. It would be simple enough, though, to just make them smilies. That would solve this.

[Baron Samedi]

[size=1][quote name='Morpheus']I think it would be a good idea to put the symbol at the end of the sig.[/quote]
[quote name='Baron']I don't think that cluttering up the postbit with what is essentially unnecessary information is worth it.[/quote]
Does it really matter that much that you [b]must[/b] know what sex they are?

If it does, then that's sad, but it also means you would be willing to check somebody's profile for it. And if it doesn't, then it means you don't care.

Catch 22.[/size]

[Sea Of Chaos666]

[quote name='Chabichou][COLOR=#004a6f]Well, I did state there should be an [B]option[/B'].[/COLOR][/quote]

I think That's a great Idea! You should be able to share if you are Male or female. And if you don't want to then thats fine!

[Japan]

[COLOR=Navy]I already knew that Dagger and Chabi were gals.

I find this idea worthless. Who cares if people know your gender or not. I get my gender, and even my nationality mistaken for something their not all the time.

I purposely write this way most of the time to see if I could possibly stump a few people.

I get bored a lot here and it's somewhat entertaining when people assume things about you that are not true. Why ruin my fun with that idea?

Yeah, yeah...option, I know....

But if other people state whether they are male or female, then that'd ruin the mystery of the internet and message board....in a sense. I love guessing games. If that idea is put into effect, then this place wouldn't be as fun anymore.

I like it when there is some mystery amoung the members here.[/COLOR]

[Doc]

[font=Century Gothic][size=1][color=darkslategray]As many have stated above, there is really an option to state your gender. Plain and simple, just put it somewhere in your profile/title. If that doesn't work for you, you can always ask the person over an IM service or just simply PM them. Plain and simple.[/color][/size][/font]

[font=Century Gothic][size=1][color=darkslategray][/color][/size][/font]
[font=Century Gothic][size=1][color=darkslategray]Also, I know the embarrasing feeling of confussing someones gender. When I first addressed Ms. Arunue in Art by Request, I misstakenly called her a he, when it could have been avoided by me just saying "Arunue" instead of "he/she"[/color][/size][/font]
[font=Century Gothic][size=1][color=darkslategray][/color][/size][/font]
[font=Century Gothic][size=1][color=darkslategray][/color][/size][/font]
[font=Century Gothic][size=1][color=darkslategray]I've also just taken it upon my curiosity to PM who I want to know. Simple as that. :twitch:[/color][/size][/font]

[James]

[color=#334366]Why is gender confusion embarassing? If you really need to, you can just correct someone in a thread. lol

Or you can choose a more masculine/feminine name. ~_^

But yeah. Maybe we can add some kind of icon for gender, but I personally think that'd kind of suck. [/color]

[Sea Of Chaos666]

[QUOTE=Doc][font=Century Gothic][size=1][color=darkslategray] Plain and simple, just put it somewhere in your profile/title. .[/color][/size][/font]

Yeah your right that's proply best. If people want to know if your male or female, just put it in your profile. If you you don't want them to know don't. But I guess, if you really want to then you could put it in as an option right?

[TheShinje]

[color=SlateGray][size=1]I've consfues many different OB'ers with the incorrect gender, and I always though you were a guy, Chabi, my bad.

I also though that Dagger was a guy, and I'm pretty sure my pre-cognition as to what Azure is is incorrect too, lol.

I don't see it as a big deal, I find it quite funny and challenging to find out an OBer's correct gender, and then try to re-envision them as a guy/girl when you've always thought of them as the opposite.
[/size][/color]

[Desbreko]

[color=#4B0082]An icon in the postbit would just be an annoying bit of clutter, though a separate entry in a person's profile I wouldn't mind. We have a profile entry for gender on myOtaku, so why not here? And if people weren't forced to simply choose from a drop-down menu or something, one could have all sorts of fun with it rather than simply having "male" or "female" in its place. I mean, wouldn't it be funny to look in someone's profile and see their gender as "neuter"?[/color]

[Hevn]

[quote name='Desbreko][color=#4B0082']And if people weren't forced to simply choose from a drop-down menu or something, one could have all sorts of fun with it rather than simply having "male" or "female" in its place. I mean, wouldn't it be funny to look in someone's profile and see their gender as "neuter"?[/color][/quote]
[COLOR=Purple][SIZE=1]Lol. I agree. *nodsnods*

Anyway, you can't really rely on a gender profile entry. I know some [URL=http://www.myotaku.com/crandomhero][COLOR=Plum][B][U]people[/U][/B][/COLOR][/URL] who lie about it.

Besides, it doesn't hurt to ask someone's gender...or be wrong about it. Well.. except maybe if a guy develops a crush and finds out she's a he, then that might hurt a bit.[/SIZE][/COLOR]

[Lady Asphyxia]

[url="http://www.bookblog.net/gender/genie.html"][font=Verdana][size=1][b]The Gender Genie.[/b] [/size][/font][/url][font=Verdana][size=1]If you don't know what Gender the person is, run it through the Genie and find out! [Although the results do seem to be quite inaccurate, however, it is some peace of mind for those who are quite worried.][/size][/font]

[size=1][font=Verdana][i]Or[/i], put a disclaimer in your post and then refer to everyone as a he. Problem solved![/font][/size]

[font=Verdana][size=1]I just can't really believe this is an issue. :rolleyes: Where else can "What is your Gender???" come up as a topic of conversation, but on the internet? *looks to the OL slyly and grins*[/size][/font]

[DBZgirl88]

[COLOR=#004a6f]Why must every topic started be turned into a huge debate thread people? God, I simply made a suggestion, intended for the James. You're all making a really huge deal of something that isn't. Alot of you ask "why does it matter"? Well why doesn't matter huh? If you don't care about specifying genders that's fine, but must you degrade people who do like the idea? Honestly...[/COLOR]

[James]

[color=#B0251E]I don't think this thread really became a debate, as such. I think it became more of a funny joke. ~_^

Try not to take things too seriously.

We'll see what we can do. I'm sure there will be some sort of option on OB 7.5.[/color]

[Gavin]

[SIZE=1]I've personally never been bothered if I don't know the gender of someone, usually you can guess from usernames, and after that it a simple case of asking if you're that intrigued. That said it wouldn't hurt if it was made part of the user profile, and those people who prefer to know the gender of people would be satisfied. The only time I ever made a mistake with someone's gender was Solo's, but that was a long time ago. [/SIZE]