[X] My Assistant

[Akira Kurusu]

I've noticed that the gender option when you go to your settings tab on the Poketch only has three suggestions - hidden, male and female. Now, while I can understand that this site is also used by children who may not fully understand what I'm about to suggest really is, I was wondering if perhaps there could be more options for the LGBTQ crowd who also use this site?

Why I ask for this is that for users who like me don't really "identify" with societal norms on what gender should be, we should have more options available than just placing ourselves in just the "male" or "female" role. If we're proud of who we should be (and I definitely am!), then why should we have to hide it?

What I suggest is that the options should be broadened to include bigender, androgyne, genderqueer, transgender, or even something as simple as FtM (short for Female to Male) or MtF (Male to Female).

I can also understand that this is a sensitive topic for people who aren't comfortable coming out or who would rather separate their online identity from who they are in real life, but I'd really think that this would be a neat little idea to help us of those who really don't identify in the standard gender role to have that option.

Thank you, mods and I really do appreciate any thoughts you have for this idea I have!

[Digidude]

I'm sorry if i didn't understand.

But what does gender have to do with sexuality?

[Akira Kurusu]

I'm sorry if i didn't understand.

But what does gender have to do with sexuality?

I'll agree and say that they really aren't one of the same, however when it comes to transgender topics such as not going with the assigned gender you were given at birth, I thought that would be worth to at least suggest for future site changes.

Don't worry on not understanding me. It really is a big subject, I'll have to admit.

[Jaysus]

Surely wouldn't it be easier just to assign your gender to what you want, if you are FtM then just put the gender down as Male? There are a lot of people also who wouldn't like to broadcast their sex change.

Also might be worth noting that i think this belongs to the GTS forums, not GPX as the GPX settings are set by GTS.

[Roscoes Wetsuit]

Yeah, transgenders could really just say what gender they've, switched, too. This is a very small difference really, and I don't see as all that big of a deal. If you really care that much, just post it in your signature

(Also, sorry if I seem insensitive or something, but I don't really know what would be rude to a transgender or other, ways of life. I've never met anyone like that, my town is somewhat secluded)

[Yamper]

I'm gay... and personally, I really don't particularly care if people know I am or not, but there's a way of showing it and a way of showing it.

You can tell people in forum posts or something (For me, it's in my rants topic) but I think all around GPX+ it would be a bit too much. I think Male and Female is fine the way it is.

After all, if you're Transgender you can choose which one you prefer the most. After all, sexuality really doesn't have anything to do with your physical being.

[Zerxer]

Your gender isn't displayed as text anywhere on GPX anyways (that I can remember)... the setting just tells the site which gender icon to use (the blue male symbol or the pink female symbol, or none if hidden).

If you're MtF and setting your gender to Female just isn't enough because you feel like you're hiding something, then use your journal to tell people about your life. Having different gender options specifically for this just doesn't make any sense, and we don't have gender symbols for those anyways.

[Spades Slick]

I support the OP's suggestion. I'm not transgendered or anything like that, but I can understand the desire to want to give yourself a designation that isn't "male" or "female" if you're not comfortable labeling yourself as such, yet still want to express the label you DO choose. It's not simply "go with the closest option", because no one should have to settle for the "closest thing".

[Kathie]

I'm still confused on as to what you would change it to? You feel more feminine, then use female, more masculine, then male. Idk, I don't see the point. And I'm a support of LGBT

[Special K]

I support the OP's suggestion. I'm not transgendered or anything like that, but I can understand the desire to want to give yourself a designation that isn't "male" or "female" if you're not comfortable labeling yourself as such, yet still want to express the label you DO choose. It's not simply "go with the closest option", because no one should have to settle for the "closest thing".

I don't really see why it needs to be expressed through the GTS+ gender icon then, of all places. I'm a pretty big LGBTQ supporter but I think it'd be just as easy to just choose to hide your gender then if you don't feel comfortable settling for the "closest option" and then expressing yourself elsewhere, like the personal statement blurb on your GTS profile or through your GPX+ journal. There are plenty of ways to express the label you choose without asking a pokemon adoptables site to add every imaginable expression of gender so that nobody feels left out. Maybe if it were more of a social networking site I'd be able to understand this suggestion, but for a pokemon clicking site, particularly one that children play, it just seems unnecessarily complicated.

[pumpkinking0192]

Your gender isn't displayed as text anywhere on GPX anyways (that I can remember)... the setting just tells the site which gender icon to use (the blue male symbol or the pink female symbol, or none if hidden).

If you're MtF and setting your gender to Female just isn't enough because you feel like you're hiding something, then use your journal to tell people about your life. Having different gender options specifically for this just doesn't make any sense, and we don't have gender symbols for those anyways.

I don't really see why it needs to be expressed through the GTS+ gender icon then, of all places. I'm a pretty big LGBTQ supporter but I think it'd be just as easy to just choose to hide your gender then if you don't feel comfortable settling for the "closest option" and then expressing yourself elsewhere, like the personal statement blurb on your GTS profile or through your GPX+ journal. There are plenty of ways to express the label you choose without asking a pokemon adoptables site to add every imaginable expression of gender so that nobody feels left out. Maybe if it were more of a social networking site I'd be able to understand this suggestion, but for a pokemon clicking site, particularly one that children play, it just seems unnecessarily complicated.

I strongly agree with these, and would like to add that the Pokemon games themselves don't even give a "hidden"(/"other") option. I know that what's best for the games =/= what's best for the site in all respects, but I think this is just unnecessary and too hyper-sensitive on political correctness (much like the arguments in another thread that celebrating Christmas on GPX is unfair to non-Christians).

But then again, I'm not transgender and I recognize that cisgender LGBQs and heterosexuals alike often don't understand transgenderism, so I'm not sure whether my opinion on the issue is even relevant.

This post has been edited by pumpkinking0192: Dec 30 2011, 05:44 PM

[Rosveen]

While I generally support the OP's suggestion, I don't think we need so many more options. Some of those that you listed, like transgender and genderqueer, are too broad to be included; you want to specify what you identify (or not) with, but using one of these terms does the opposite.

Basically, what you want is four more options: bigender, genderless, genderfluid, third gender. For the sake of simplicity genderfluid could be covered by bigender. That leaves three new choices, which I think could be included for those who want to use them.

Regarding FtM and MtF, I might be mistaken, but from what I understand they're not genderfluid and actually identify with only one gender. Therefore they can just choose the gender they switched too. If they want to make their transition known, they can write about it in the Journal.

@edit
Okay, on second thought it's still too complicated and no one will implement this. So I'm voting for a simple new option: "other".

[Kida]

No other sites go through this much trouble just so you can have your own personal responses to a simple question. It's so controversial, that asking for this just looks like you're TRYING to pick a fight. If you don't like the choices, leave it blank.
No support from me.

I think this is just unnecessary and too hyper-sensitive on political correctness

This.

[ZaphodBeeblebrox]

personally I'd love a simple "other" third option. (and ditto green or purple icon to it)

having too many options (genderqueer?) is to complicated

this was also discussed at another community I venture, where it was jokingly suggested to simply add the option of "It's complicated"

~ZB
supporter of, and should we say member? of transgender..thingy.

[Transfinite]

I'd love to have a third option since I'm not male or female, and "hidden" isn't my gender either! But you kind of blew it by including "MtF" and "FtM" as suggestions, Sir Hellsing, since people are fixating on why those aren't a good idea to include. (Which I agree with -- MtF is just female, and FtM is just male!)

Also, guys, it's not ~hyper-sensitive political correctness~ to recognize that not everyone is male or female, it's just a fact of life.

[Mornington Cresc...]

Seconding everyone who suggested the option of "other". This way, it's a pretty nice umbrella term that would catch anyone who feels they identify as genderqueer, androgynous, neither or any other option.

A simple green circle as the symbol could be nice, too. Then it's similar to the other symbols, but separate in its own way.

I do think having a massive dropdown is kind of excessive, so one option like 'other' feels really right to me. Then we have the "standard" 'male' and 'female', but you can also choose something else, or refrain from saying.

In some ways, we don't necessarily "need" any more options, but I do think it would be a nice thing to just have something like "other" that acknowledges the existence of individuals who identify in that kind of category.