Gender Field

[Astrella]

Giant in the Playground is a very inclusive place as it is; and that's probably why it's one of my favourite forums, there aren't that many non-LGBT+ specific places were an LGBT+ thread could exist so peacefully.

So, in the spirit of inclusiveness, there's a thing we can do to even make GitP more inclusive. So in the line of thought of the recent addition of MtF and FtM symbols simply replacing the symbols with a field that people can fill in can reach even more people. That way people of all genders can choose to add that identifier to their profile should they choose to do so.

Any thoughts?

[Ursus the Grim]

I don't have a final say in this, naturally, but you did ask for 'any' thoughts.

So. I much prefer it as is. When it doubt, just list what you self-identify as. Ambigendered? Don't list it. The only thing more confusing to a boring person like me than the menagerie of terms for variant genders is the exactly what the letters of your local Alphabet Soup actually stand for. I think I've become a fairly tolerant person over the years, but its a lot for someone who's outside the culture to actually grasp. Heck, I've got a few friends within the culture and they still lose track sometimes.

On a more practical basis, turning it into a text field opens it up to joke answers, which could be perceived as anything from harmlessly stupid (goat) to potentially offensive (normal).

[Astrella]

On a more practical basis, turning it into a text field opens it up to joke answers, which could be perceived as anything from harmlessly stupid (goat) to potentially offensive (normal).

Joke answers can already be done using the location field though.

Honestly, the main concerns would be how easy it would be to do using the forum software and the time it would take.

[Rawhide]

Thank you for the suggestion, but unfortunately we cannot include every option or simply make it a text field. Filling out the gender field (which is actually meant to be physical gender/physical sex, but many people use it as mental gender, and that's fine) is entirely optional, and if you don't fit one of the options that displays a symbol, you can choose Undisclosed/Other.