Forums > Social Chat > Bird or bloke?

In conversation with some HoP members, they've told me that, before I mentioned something in conversation with them which made it obvious I was female, they thought I was male.

Having been a member on HoP for 2 years, this has been said far more than I originally expected it to, even from people who have been here around the same length of time as me. I uploaded a photograph which actually shows my face close up into my gallery for the first time yesterday (a bit late I know ) and more people have now admitted that they previously thought I was male.

And I don't mind at all. On the contrary - I find it funny - I'm just curious about how people have come to that conclusion.

Without a photograph or many references to one's gender, I think we do tend to have a vague picture of what someone looks like from how they write online. But what is it about that which makes us think of that person as one gender, when there should be just as much chance of them being the other? Do you tend to think of someone as your own gender, or the opoosite, without these clues?

Has it happened to you? Are you also a female who has been mistaken for a male? I think I've only ever heard of those instances, but there must be some males who have been mistaken for females online.

"I thought you are man, but
you are nice woman.

yay,

:R"

I always used to think that Pyrowill was a girl.



I'm surprised that more people didn't work it out considering the name.





Actually, I was asked by hoppers a number of times while I was on holiday 'What did you think I'd look like before you met me', which I suppose is similar.

To be honest, I don't generally form an opinion of how a person looks, or their gender, from their posts. I think I'm probably in the minority in that respect.

But there's no sense crying over every mistake. You just keep on trying till you run out of cake.

im a girl at heart

PK.

"To be an angel, one need not have wings.
In giving love there is an equal grace.
Nor need one seek the aura in the face,
As love unveils the beauty of all things."

*Francois Couperin.

It's because your avatar has no boobs!

"My skin is singed but it heals my heart and with glowing pride I'll wear my scars." -Davey Havok

I've been confused for a girl a fair bit actually -.- I don't really mind much don't mind much at all though
I have also been confused for a girl in real life before as well, which was expected, because I was forced into dressing up in drag for a party...not that the dress stayed on long or anything, but I was mistaken for a girl, with incredibly haiyr legs ^.^'

Educate your self in the Hazards of Fire Breathing <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smile.gif" alt="" /> STAY SAFE! <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/hug.gif" alt="" />

kyrian: I've felt your finger connect with me many times
lou kitten: sneaky little meatball..
ezz: please corrupt me more

Written by: PyroMonkey

oops i feel silly now, i though you were a girl immortalangel



Point

Educate your self in the Hazards of Fire Breathing <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smile.gif" alt="" /> STAY SAFE! <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/hug.gif" alt="" />

Spoiling Christmas for small children since 2003.

Hehe, I was always guessed to be a bloke before I added the bouncing avatar (Can't really count Flid's guess though, he gets everyone's gender wrong! )

The optimist claims that we are living in the best of all possible worlds.
The pessimist fears this is true.

Always make time to play in the snow.

I think its just as Hanz says - and the initial reaction to stereotypes...

I mean, honestly, how many girls do you know who would call themselves Spanner? How many boys do you know who would call themselves ImmortalAngel?

Spanner = mechanic = masculine
Angel (even though theyre asexual) = feminine

Any other names you thought were of the opposite gender?

And avatars: IA, its a kitten fer gods sake!!!

ohmygodlaserbeamspewpewpew!

there's nothing quite as fulfilling as a tasty airwrap

if you're full of sh!t, at least you're fertile

"we are all flowers growing in God's garden... and that is why he spreads the sh!t around" - David Byrne

I thought Sir Sheep was male till i met her.
But her name is very confusing.

No one tends to get my gender confused...i wonder why

I have been confused by other peoples, but i can't think of any examples at the moment...

Never pick up a duck in a dungeon...

It's a bit off topic but I get called a "lady" at work by loads of customers. They get a shock when I talk to them. I smile when its little kids becuase they've related long hair to femininity, but when 40 somethings do it, it gets irritating. I've thought about growing a beard, but I don't know if I want to put myself through that. I need a hug.

Music gives Soul to the Universe, Wings to the Mind, Flight to the Imagination and Life to Everything.

Educate yourself in the Hazards of Fire Breathing STAY SAFE!

dsei.org Stop The Arms Trade!

i got around this problem by choosing a username that is simply my forename with 'man' tagged on the end.

i recommend this technique for all hop users


cole.
/who does have a good reason for the extension really\

"i see you at 'dis cafe.
i come to 'dis cafe quite a lot myself.
they do porridge."
- tim westwood

ImmortalAngel- it was only recently that I found out you were male.
I think it's the hair on your avatar- kinda makes me think 60s female hair.

Hanz and Sir Sheep- your both female??? Well holy
I'd never have guessed.

My gender tends not to get mistaken too much online.
However, in real life... when I'm in Texas I quite often get mistaken for a guy.
(I don't know how. I wear fairly tight tshirts, and unless I'm mistaken a guy with huge manboobs I'm quite obviously female! )

Lets steal a spaceship and head for the sun, and shoot the stars with a lemonade ray gun.

so you think Im not a newbie? Ok I'll be the King of the newbies. Nucleon the king of all noobs

I agree with Glass
Kittens are very cool and very manly avatars! I would have a dog avatar, but dogs are to big to put lime helmets on...
And as for the name...Angels are like, the most kick ass things in the universe! Look at Michael the ArchAngel...or Lucifer the fallen angel? How much more manly go they get?
Plus, all angels are 'male', just without the reproductive stuff.
http://www.steliart.com/angelology_archangels_archeiai.html
br>Check that site our for some basic (and some more advanced) angel info, as well as it's sources.

Anyways, I think Angel is a genderless kind of thing unless it's something like "Sweetie_angel_99" or "Angel_pie_72" or something like that...

Educate your self in the Hazards of Fire Breathing <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smile.gif" alt="" /> STAY SAFE! <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/hug.gif" alt="" />

----There are no opportunities, only problems----

Written by: Gl�ss

whats wrong with a kitten for an avatar



well, there is nothing wrong with it, but is you want that people immediatly see thet you are a bloke it does stand a bit in the way. anyway, it doesnt matter me if you someone is mistaken easely as long as you don't lie when asked about yourself.

so you think Im not a newbie? Ok I'll be the King of the newbies. Nucleon the king of all noobs

i was gutted for the first falmouth meet up last year, when ithought loads of ladies where going, then they all turned out to be male!

so i have done it, hence why i usded teh gif of me as a bloke for ages!

Step (el-nombrie)

Written by: coleman

i got around this problem by choosing a username that is simply my forename with 'man' tagged on the end.




Spannerwoman returns

Interesting stuff here.

Written by: nucleon
I think that for the sake of clear communication, pink and sweet avatars should be for the girls as well as names containing angel, fairy and/or other sweet girly things.



I disagree While I didn't choose Spanner in order to appear masculine (it was actually my nickname at school) I did consciously choose it to avoid having things like "angel", "fairy" and the like in my name. No offence to anyone who includes these in their name, but I wanted something different

Offline, I've only ever once been mistaken for a man, at a time when my hair was at it's longest, I was at my chubbiest and wearing too much black. I must admit that, back then, I probably could have passed for a Mot�rhead roadie

"I thought you are man, but
you are nice woman.

yay,

:R"

Ry' - thought your were a lady
Spanner - knew you were a lady!

I've got confused with loads.....

Seraphire - man? *hug*
Cantus thought BamBam was a boy (I think!) lol!
Narr - thought you were boy-shaped!
Hanz? LADY! eep! *hides*

too many to remember now methinks.

Oh! I thought Kyrian was a bloke for ages!
And Kurobei was a girl (met him now so tis all good!)
And Nx? - sorry mate I thought your were gonna be a girlie too!

Geologists do it in the dirt................

oh my! I'm one confused fairy!

lol - when I used to post as Helium Dreamer someone told me to make sure I pulled my........erm (remembers there are little people reading).......'man bits'.........out of the way when learning to Unicycle!



I giggled for days!

Geologists do it in the dirt................

I don't really get mistaken for anything but female. My icon, plus what I type is apparently feminine. I don't get mistaken for a bloke in real life either. It has something to do with the tapered waist, large breasts and huge bum hehe

�.You've got invisible fangs and cherry nun bangs,
Your erotic cabaret is non stop
You're wearing too many belts
And I bet they leave welts
Shut up and dance cause I wanna pop.�