Facebook adds 56 Gender options to choose from

[Psykhronic]

[My imaginary friend is GOD]

The thing that really surprises me is they put "Neither" as an option; not only is "neither" not applicable when there are 57 other options, but I cannot fathom the person who refuses to recognise themselves as belonging to any gender. It's one thing to think that "I have a penis, but I know I'm supposed to be a girl," and another thing to think "you know what, I'm not comfortable as either male or female, so I've just decided I'm giving up on having a gender." One of them can make sense. I really hope you can understand which one does.

I don't identify with a gender so I changed my gender to "genderqueer." I've never been particularly feminine, but I'm not masculine, either, and I don't really identify with "femaleness" or "maleness" except to the extent that I am biologically female, and the world sees me as female. I used to think that I wanted to be a boy, but then I realized I would still have the same problems I have now, which is I wouldn't feel right in that body. I don't blame you for being ignorant as most people don't know much about non-binary gender identity, but I wanted to point out that it does exist.

[TaraJo]

I'll be the first to admit, I've seen more than my fair share of people going all hipster-activism and creating their own, personal issues to promote, but I don't see any of that in this thread. I could say a lot about it, but I'll save it for another thread if anyone feels the need to start it.

As for facebook gender options, it's not really too much if you actually look at what they have. Honestly, it's mostly a lot of redundancy. I mean, they have "MTF," "trans woman," "trans female" "trans* female" and "trans person" all listed as potential options for gender and those can all pretty much describe the same person, just slightly different wording. There even seems to be gender neutral options in there, which is also cool.

[Violet]

I'll be the first to admit, I've seen more than my fair share of people going all hipster-activism and creating their own, personal issues to promote, but I don't see any of that in this thread. I could say a lot about it, but I'll save it for another thread if anyone feels the need to start it.

What kind of 'hipster-activism' would you be talking about?

[Mudhammam]

I'm curious to know what anyone thinks of this. I have no religious objection to it, but annoys me greatly.

Don't get me wrong: I support gay rights, and believe the transgender community deserves the same rights as anyone else.

However, 56 gender options is ludicrous, and I can't see this as helpful to any cause other than getting attention. Thoughts?


http://www.slate.com/blogs/future_tense/...tions.html

I typically think more choice is better. Don't really have a problem with it at all.

[Violet]

I typically think more choice is better. Don't really have a problem with it at all.

More choices are not always better. Harder to grasp the opportunity cost that way.

[TaraJo]

I'll be the first to admit, I've seen more than my fair share of people going all hipster-activism and creating their own, personal issues to promote, but I don't see any of that in this thread. I could say a lot about it, but I'll save it for another thread if anyone feels the need to start it.

What kind of 'hipster-activism' would you be talking about?

When people only speak up for groups who are the most social outcast and justify any bad behavior from said social outcast groups. And then self-diagnose any number of conditions that puts them into a group that's even more socially ostracized than everyone else.

Although, I like to just shorten it and call it "hipster activism" because they only care about causes that aren't mainstream, or "oppression olympics."

[NoraBrimstone]

I don't see the problem. 56 is a lot, yes; but if it helps just a few people feel better about who they are, in a world where they're probably judged every day, and excluded from things most people take for granted, I'm all for it. My boring old "Female" option is still there, so I have no reason to have a problem with it.

[Mudhammam]

I typically think more choice is better. Don't really have a problem with it at all.

More choices are not always better. Harder to grasp the opportunity cost that way.

Read: "typically," not "always." In this case, it offers more choice for people to customize their own online representation of themselves. Is anyone being harmed by it? Nope. I guess it's a win.

[Violet]

Read: "typically," not "always." In this case, it offers more choice for people to customize their own online representation of themselves. Is anyone being harmed by it? Nope. I guess it's a win.

I did not say anyone was being harmed by it (although yes, publicly stating one dos not fit the norm *can well* 'harm' one)...

I said that having more choices is *not always* better. That includes this case.