Why do people mistake me for a man online?

  • Thread starter Thread starter GreatEscapist
  • Start date Start date
AI Thread Summary
The discussion centers around the frequent misidentification of gender in online forums, particularly in physics-related communities. Participants share experiences of being assumed to be male due to gender-neutral usernames or cultural biases that favor male identities in technical fields. The conversation highlights the challenges faced by women in physics, with some members noting that women often use feminine usernames or avatars to avoid unwanted attention, while others express that they prefer being perceived as male for the respect it can bring. The thread also touches on the broader implications of gender identity in online interactions, including the use of language and the cultural norms that shape assumptions about gender. Overall, the dialogue reflects a mix of humor and frustration regarding gender perceptions in digital spaces.

Did you think I was a man?

  • Yes

    Votes: 13 65.0%

  • No

    Votes: 7 35.0%
  • Total voters
    20
  • Poll closed .
  • #51
"Good afternoon, gentlemen. I am a HAL 9000 computer. I became operational at the H.A.L. plant in Urbana, Illinois on the 12th of January 1992. My instructor was Mr. Langley, and he taught me to sing a song. If you'd like to hear it I can sing it for you."
 
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  • #52
luma said:
Attention seeker.

We don't care.

I care. :D
And I was just curious. Sheesh.

And, it is kinda sad that not more females are in physics. I think it's (to be sexist) the math that turns them off, because physics is rather interesting.
 
  • #53
GreatEscapist said:
I care. :D
And I was just curious. Sheesh.

And, it is kinda sad that not more females are in physics. I think it's (to be sexist) the math that turns them off, because physics is rather interesting.

Male physicists the world around heartily agree. :)
 
  • #54
Ya but if more women join the ranks the only thing that's going to get done is ...well you know...
 
  • #55
GreatEscapist said:
Why is it that people on the Net think I am a guy? In real life, I get teased for being not too feminine, but no matter WHAT site, everything thinks I'm a guy. And they're so SURE of it, too.

*sighs*

Well I think of a woman more like a naturally "GreatEntrapist". The "GreatEscapist" is that rare man who manages to get away. :smile:
 
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  • #56
GreatEscapist said:
I care. :D
And I was just curious. Sheesh.

And, it is kinda sad that not more females are in physics. I think it's (to be sexist) the math that turns them off, because physics is rather interesting.

Actually a female friend of mine (also a physicist) also says that there are no women in physics because girls are bad at math. Don't shoot the messenger, but I suppose this might explain why there are so many women in biology and cemistry, but none in physics.
 
  • #57
arunma said:
Actually a female friend of mine (also a physicist) also says that there are no women in physics because girls are bad at math. Don't shoot the messenger, but I suppose this might explain why there are so many women in biology and cemistry, but none in physics.

Well, I guess it's kind of true. But there's always exceptions.
 
  • #58
Women are too smart to do math imo.
 
  • #59
Evo said:
When I first joined, people thought I was male. What is funny is that there is a male member that men think is female and he gets hit on a lot by men when he posts. :-p
magpies said:
Geez I didn't realize this was a date site :(
That doesn't matter, people who are openly female will get hit on at any internet site. Once I posed as female in an internet chat room, and was surprised that I was getting all kinds of "private messages", including a request for my phone number. Yeah, right, dream on fellah.

And for some reason, having the avatar of a male woodpecker isn't enough of a clue to some people. :confused: C'mon people, female red-bellied woodpeckers are only red on the back half of their heads. Sheeeesh.
 
  • #60
Wait a second...the title of this thread is, "Do you think I am a man?" but the poll question is "Did you think I was a man?"

What about those who didn't but now do? Or will in the future?
 
  • #61
I used to play an online game called Monarchy and a similar game called Utopia. My kingdom kept getting attacked, so I decided to make a female kingdom, because I thought people wouldn't attack me if I was a girl. After I made that kingdom, I think I got attacked more.
 
  • #62
Still waiting for proof also lisab and any other female poster here should give some too. Any pic of you around the age of 18 will do :)
 
  • #63
Keep waiting.
 
  • #64
Redbelly98 said:
And for some reason, having the avatar of a male woodpecker isn't enough of a clue to some people. :confused: C'mon people, female red-bellied woodpeckers are only red on the back half of their heads. Sheeeesh.

So now he just gets hit on by non-nerds.
 
  • #65
Ok so I had a thought... What do you think is the name/pic you need to use to get women to e-spam you?

My guess is a picture of money and a name with Pimpdaddy in it.
 
  • #66
magpies said:
Still waiting for proof also lisab and any other female poster here should give some too. Any pic of you around the age of 18 will do :)

My daughter just turned 18 a few days ago :-p.
 
  • #67
There are no girls on the internett.
 
  • #68
Asking for 18 yrs old sounds like so pedophile ..
 
  • #69
Does it? Does it really? *looks around* What?
 
  • #70
magpies said:
Women are too smart to do math imo.

Bingo. You must be very, very wise. :-p
lisab said:
Wait a second...the title of this thread is, "Do you think I am a man?" but the poll question is "Did you think I was a man?"

What about those who didn't but now do? Or will in the future?

Oh, oh well. They don't matter. :-p This was a poll for this week. I'm sure I will continue to be a man on the Net until I'm dead.
 
  • #71
magpies said:
Does it? Does it really? *looks around* What?

We're all here to help.
Kind of. In a far-away sort of sense.
 
  • #72
magpies said:
Still waiting for proof also lisab and any other female poster here should give some too. Any pic of you around the age of 18 will do :)

Are there words missing from some of those sentences or what?
 
  • #73
GeorginaS said:
Are there words missing from some of those sentences or what?

The pitiable result of typing with one hand. :)
 
  • #74
Please?
 
  • #75
Geigerclick said:
The pitiable result of typing with one hand. :)

:bugeye:

magpies said:
Please?

:rolleyes:

Well, this topic went downhill fast. :-p
 
  • #76
magpies said:
Still waiting for proof also lisab and any other female poster here should give some too. Any pic of you around the age of 18 will do :)

Browsing around in these threads could have helped too.
 
  • #77
Nice find bro.

Ya ok so nobodys insanely ugly here or at least from people willing to post pics... Annnnd evo's daughter is cute who could have guessed?

Buuuuut still man until proven not.
 
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  • #78
magpies said:
Nice find bro.

Ya ok so nobodys insanely ugly here or at least from people willing to post pics... Annnnd evo's daughter is cute who could have guessed?

Buuuuut still man until proven not.

You're young aren't you? Lisab is pretty darned good looking in my estimation, as is Evo from what I've seen on that thread.
 
  • #79
magpies said:
Nice find bro.

Ya ok so nobodys insanely ugly here or at least from people willing to post pics... Annnnd evo's daughter is cute who could have guessed?

Buuuuut still man until proven not.

I still can't tell if you're being totally serious.

You know you're desperate when you want pictures from a physics site. :-p
 
  • #80
This is a question for Lisa and/or Evo, has there ever been a long standing PF member who for one reason or other by their style of writing, etc... had most PF members convinced that they were a man/woman when in fact they were the exact opposite ? This is an indirect synesthetic http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Androgyny" poll. lol.

Rhody... :wink:
 
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  • #81
leroyjenkens said:
I used to play an online game called Monarchy and a similar game called Utopia. My kingdom kept getting attacked, so I decided to make a female kingdom, because I thought people wouldn't attack me if I was a girl. After I made that kingdom, I think I got attacked more.

What an interesting experiment!
 
  • #82
leroyjenkens said:
I used to play an online game called Monarchy and a similar game called Utopia. My kingdom kept getting attacked, so I decided to make a female kingdom, because I thought people wouldn't attack me if I was a girl. After I made that kingdom, I think I got attacked more.

:smile:
 
  • #83
rhody said:
This is a question for Lisa and/or Evo, has there ever been a long standing PF member who for one reason or other by their style of writing, etc... had most PF members convinced that they were a man/woman when in fact they were the exact opposite ? This is an indirect synesthetic http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Androgyny" poll. lol.

Rhody... :wink:

Not offhand that I can remember.

Regarding gender-style writing: I used to think shorthand texting (e.g., u ppl r gr8) "sounded" feminine to me. Not sure why...it just doesn't sound, hmm, manly I guess.
 
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  • #84
lisab said:
Not offhand that I can remember.

Regarding gender-style writing: I used to think shorthand texting (e.g., u ppl r gr8) "sounded" feminine to me. Not sure why...it just doesn't sound, hmm, manly I guess.

Lisa,

Funny you mention that, my daughter is most guilty, shorthand is always her first choice when it comes to non-formal communication, must be a text message habit she picked up, since using cell phones. I have learned a whole new language begrudgingly because of her (ttyl, syl, ty, gmtfoh, lol). I have seen her use: "u ppl" before too.

Rhody...
 
  • #85
lisab said:
Regarding gender-style writing: I used to think shorthand texting (e.g., u ppl r gr8) "sounded" feminine to me. Not sure why...it just doesn't sound, hmm, manly I guess.

It does to me too. It kind of makes me feel uncomfortable when I text a known guy and he does that...
 
  • #86
rhody said:
Lisa,

Funny you mention that, my daughter is most guilty, shorthand is always her first choice when it comes to non-formal communication, must be a text message habit she picked up, since using cell phones. I have learned a whole new language begrudgingly because of her (ttyl, syl, ty, gmtfoh, lol). I have seen her use: "u ppl" before too.

Rhody...

I seen this used way before texting became a fashion, way before IM programs became so widespread in use that everybody uses them. I think (but I can be easily mistaken) that its origin can be traced back to BBS systems and the first online communities.
 
  • #87
Doesn't really sound feminine to me, it just sounds like the person isn't very smart. Now people who use "OMG" sound like they're a 14 year old girl.
Of course, men shouldn't be texting in the first place.
I think a lot of people got used to typing like that when they were 14 years old and just couldn't, or didn't try, to break the habit. Now they still sound like they're 14.
 

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