Gender Options...

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Why doesn't Wrong Planet include "trans" or "neuter" to the gender options on offer?

Last edited by miasp5 on 14 Mar 2013, 8:24 am, edited 1 time in total.

My guess is that they weren't included at first because the forum started out simple--then when the forum grew there were other issues that just kind of overwhelmed refining the profile options.

But I agree: We need at least an "other" option. For trans people it's not so hard, because they have a gender (it just isn't their assigned-at-birth gender), but for third-gender, nongender, androgynous, or people who just want to keep their gender vague online, there's not really a good answer. I'm kind of feminine/androgynous... I'll say female but I'll mean "I have XX chromosomes and it doesn't really bother me that I do". Most of the time when people say female, they mean the social role. I don't.

If it's a carryover from the forum's early days, it's about time it got changed.

Alex? You reading this? You gonna get on that anytime soon? I'll bake you virtual cookies.

I dunno???

Would be nice and it makes perfect sense, I mean Im neuter/trans
so technically I'm lieing saying by choosin either female or male
And that doesn't taste very nice does it precious?

Having "trans" would be in line with the Equality Act 2010 in the United Kingdom. As for neuter; it means exactly what it says "neutral as optional to either female or male." Either way "trans" or "neuter" is far better than "other" which excludes members of the trans community altogether.

Last edited by miasp5 on 14 Mar 2013, 9:30 am, edited 1 time in total.

Yeah, it'd be nice to have a few more options, but I feel we need "other" and "prefer not to say" at the very least because there are quite a few people who identify with gender labels that are rare or even unique to them specifically. We need "other" just to cover every possibility. A trans option would be nice, and a neuter/androgynous one, but the "other" option would be the bare minimum.

Probably because gender is based on genetics, and not sexual interest, lack of sexual interest, or the desire to appear as the other gender through surgical modification.

Actually, gender usually refers to brain gender, gender role, etc. The physical and genetic characteristics are referred to as "sex".

Trans means...

Neuter means...

Other means...

See the Miriam Webster dictionary for a dose of clarity; don't take my words for it.

Have posted a new topic with a poll to check what WP in general thinks.

Then, if an option for "Gender: S/L/G/B/T/O" is included, an option for "Sex: M/F" should be included as well.

Why not "Ethnicity"?

Or "Income"?

How about "Religion", "Political Affiliation", and "Level of Education"?

Why not include a whole slew of characteristics for each member that could be used against them by hate-filled people who have nothing better to do than to look for excuses to post against people that they don't like?

Because ethnicity, income, religion, etc. don't change which pronoun you use when you refer to somebody.

Ooo ... those evil pronouns!

We essentially have three: "He", "She", and "It". Choose one.

Or use "they" as a gender-generic pronoun.

In which case, which option would you suggest intersexed people choose? If you consider genetics to be important, you should already be aware that there are more chromosomal combinations than "XX" and "XY" and therefore even if for some reason you want to disregard personal identity, more biological options than just "male" and female".

"Male" and "female" are are just words people invented to describe groups of people with the similar characteristics because it helped them to communicate more clearly. The idea that these terms represent an absolute binary is a myth which is not supported by biology, and fortunately we live in an age when it's not really excusable for intersexed and transgendered people to be marginalised any more, any more than LGB people, disabled people, or, hmm, autistic people!

Because a LOT of autistic people fall into this category (far more than in the NT population) I agree that it would be nice for this to be acknowledged in a forum like this one.

Putting the semantics of his-story and my-story aside
intersex and trans are actually the same.
The're is neutral, then female, then male.

Personally as a trans person I would like the option. The original question was: "why doesn't Wrong Planet include "trans" or "neuter" to the gender option on offer?" The point here is I've nothing to hide. At the same time I would like the option of trans or neuter rather than capitulate into a compulsory female or male. One shouldn't have to lie about gender identity just to register membership.

Or s/he or (s)he, zie, one, xe, or avoiding pronouns altogether by naming the person each time.

"It" can only be used for animals, and then only if you aren't referring to a specific animal, because in English it carries the connotation of an object rather than a person. Apparently it's been used as a slur for trans people, so yeah, don't use "it" as a gender neutral pronoun.

Might seem to be only a grammar issue, but for some people requesting the use of non-gender pronouns is a way to affirm their identity. I think we should respect that.