chemgal's picture

chemgal

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Gender Assumptions

Why do we assume someone to be a certain gender when there isn't much of an indicator?

 

What do you do when it starts to become awkward without using certain pronouns when you don't know?

 

Why in another thread was it assumed Morgan was male by 2 posters?  Was it the name?  Was it because of the academic context?  To me, a generation or more older and if I had to guess I would go male, my age and younger, female.  I would have stuck with the author, but the sudden use of pronouns surprised me so I dug around and I'm about 95% certain the author is female.

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chemgal's picture

chemgal

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Morgan is a Celtic given name traditionally used in Wales, Brittany and Scotland. In the UK and Ireland it is traditionally a male name, though also increasingly used for girls too.

In the United States, by contrast, it is more commonly as unisex name. It was the 63rd most popular name for girls born in the United States in 2010 and the 518th most popular name for boys born there in 2010. The name is also used for both sexes in other English-speaking countries, including Canada, Australia, and New Zealand.[1]

 

I would guess the gender ratio is similar in Canada.

chemgal's picture

chemgal

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What about someone you know who doesn't identify as male or female?  I've seen posts over the year about just asking.  I've never actually been in a situation like that though and I would probably just avoid certain words until I heard someone else, which might mean I'm copying the wrong thing.  Hard to say for sure without knowing what all of the specifics for that particular situation would be.

Pinga's picture

Pinga

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Morgan ...and I think Morgan Freeman, a male.  so, i can see a generational assumption based on name.

 

If I am unsure, I use s/he or avoid pronoun....ie the author

Kimmio's picture

Kimmio

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I have met both males and females named Morgan. It's the same with Kelly. It's hard to tell. Even my first name can be a man's name but usually is a female name here.

Kimmio's picture

Kimmio

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I think in the 70's there were a lot of 'gender neutral' names around. Stacey, Tracey, Kelly, Jamie...

Alex's picture

Alex

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I have a hard time detrmining gender and always have to look at a persons profile. My name is used by bothe malkes and females, and as well my mother and grandmother have the same names, and even the same nicknames. I also know many men who adapt womens names, like Mary.  SO I nevr rely on a persons name

 

Dcn. Jae's picture

Dcn. Jae

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Alex wrote:

I have a hard time detrmining gender and always have to look at a persons profile. My name is used by bothe malkes and females, and as well my mother and grandmother have the same names, and even the same nicknames. I also know many men who adapt womens names, like Mary.  SO I nevr rely on a persons name

 

I always wanted to be called Sugarlips.

crazyheart's picture

crazyheart

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I thought it was a male name.

 

However, these days you can't tell.

 

This is really dating me but when I was in school, we were taught that if you didn't know , always use the masculine. How times have changed.

Tabitha's picture

Tabitha

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Actually the correct repsonse these days is to ask what pronouns they prefer.

 

(as you can see my default pronoun is the gender-less plural)

chemgal's picture

chemgal

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crazyheart wrote:

This is really dating me but when I was in school, we were taught that if you didn't know , always use the masculine. How times have changed.

I had never heard of that.  Times have changed!  Thanks CH :)

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