Facebook adds 50 new gender options

[Rukentuts]

I don't see these options on my facebook.

Kind of disappointed.

Go to About > Gender > Custom, then start entering random characters in the field.

[Lancer]

This is stupid.

[Deleted]

But really what the hell is "Trans(asterisk)Person"?

Was wondering the same thing...

Any way, 50 options is too much.

Trans Man or Trans Male? The fuck is the difference?

It makes absolute no sense. They pretty much mean the same thing. Also, people in facebook don't choose their gender based on their sex organs as far as I know so putting trans man and trans male options instead of just one of them is rather stupid. <-<

Regardless, I don't understand why there are options that are so specific. Really, some that is ample should be more than enough like 'man', 'woman', 'trans', or 'neither' too, I guess.

[Garnier Fructis]

Go to About > Gender > Custom, then start entering random characters in the field.

Got it, thanks. Gender Fluid. TWO-SPIRIT?

Well damn you learn something new everyday. Two-spirit apparently has to do with Indian mixed gender roles.

[Kisho]

So much ignorance in this thread already, and we're only on the first page! Incredible.

If you're going to try and firmly state that there's only x amount of genders, you should probably do some research first before trying to state your opinion as fact.

Furthermore, gender and sex are not the same thing. Sex is a pretty rigid thing. Gender is very fluid and interchangeable.

Ultimately, it's not up to you or anyone else to say what someone is allowed to identify as. The only person whose opinion matters is the person with that gender identity. As such, Facebook are doing a wonderful thing here by showing that these gender identities DO exist, they are out there, no matter how much you may deny their existence. It didn't take much work on their part but it's a definite step in the right direction.

[Sam the Wiser]

So much ignorance in this thread already, and we're only on the first page! Incredible.

If you're going to try and firmly state that there's only x amount of genders, you should probably do some research first before trying to state your opinion as fact.

Furthermore, gender and sex are not the same thing. Sex is a pretty rigid thing. Gender is very fluid and interchangeable.

Ultimately, it's not up to you or anyone else to say what someone is allowed to identify as. The only person whose opinion matters is the person with that gender identity. As such, Facebook are doing a wonderful thing here by showing that these gender identities DO exist, they are out there, no matter how much you may deny their existence. It didn't take much work on their part but it's a definite step in the right direction.

I can't even take this post slightly serious. You're telling me you support 50 different genders?

[Deleted]

Furthermore, gender and sex are not the same thing.

True but afaik, facebook isn't a dating social website so I don't see a point in them putting options for other people to know what you have down bellow...

[Chelly]

At least they didn't add a headmate option. (Unless that's Two-Spirit...)

[Tastyfish]

Furthermore, gender and sex are not the same thing. .

This is where the plane flies over the head of about half the people ...
^_^
I love watching peoples brains try to get how a Female who likes Woman, can be a heterosexual and not bi.... ^_^

[pickley]

At least they didn't add a headmate option. (Unless that's Two-Spirit...)

Give it time.

[Tastyfish]

True but afaik, facebook isn't a dating social website so I don't see a point in them putting options for other people to know what you have down bellow...

Maybe it's not about you, me or anyone other then the person?
Sometimes people need that empowerment, that choice, for themselves. It's a little thing that for some is a big deal because it represents a truth they have come to terms with, to such a degree they have choose to not only identify internally but externally too.
I guess you just have to be in the situation to get it.

[willtron]

The people who want to use them.
Clearly they made the move based on data they had that said it would/could fly, it's not some random off the cuff choice.

sounds like some attention seeking bitching to me.

'OMG IM NOT MALE I'M A SUPERTRANSGENDERMEGATRANSVESTITE FEMALE, YOU'RE SO INSENSITIVE'

[cuafpr]

and yet we still can't get dislike button :P

[Rukentuts]

sounds like some attention seeking bitching to me.

'OMG IM NOT MALE I'M A SUPERTRANSGENDERMEGATRANSVESTITE FEMALE, YOU'RE SO INSENSITIVE'

It's catering to a neurological defect, not "attention-seeking". Before you know it we'll have to cater to fantasies of schizophrenics.

[Deleted]

I guess you just have to be in the situation to get it.

I get the situation perfectly fine but if people go to facebook to get sympathy for something like this, sympathy for what you have down-bellow-thing, then there's something very wrong with them. I mean, come on. Seriously, I just don't understand the need to have this option on facebook. Again, it's not a dating site. Having options like that look super redundant to me.

That is what I can't understand but I do understand the need to tell what you have down bellow to other people. I just fail to see how that would be a good thing to do on a social website, to your friends on the internet (I would seriously would not be interested in knowing what my friends have bellow regardless of how obvious/not obvious it is but more power to them if it makes them feel better... I wouldn't bash them for it).

[Lancer]

Or rather, that it shouldn't matter how many genders are, and that if people identify a certain way, they should be allowed to do so.

Why do you need to be identified as 49 other potential genders?

[Zelk]

I can only choose between male and female, so much oppression.

[willtron]

It's catering to a neurological defect, not "attention-seeking". Before you know it we'll have to cater to fantasies of schizophrenics.

political correctness is bollocks. You're male or you're female, if you decide you're both, either dont disclose it or chose what you were born as. Done.

[gonterf]

Trans* person reporting in. I'm perfectly happy with old gender options, my womanhood isn't really qualified in any way, and even if it were it's nobody's business. That being said, I know a few people who benefit from a custom option. Generally people in my circle seem either happy or indifferent about it. You'd have to be really mean spirited to actually be angry about it though, since it really doesn't affect anyone other than the person choosing a custom gender.

If my understanding is correct, while there is a lot of fuzzyness between 'man' and 'woman', most of the fuzzyness we're seeing here has to do with there being no accepted norm in the language.

[Tastyfish]

I get the situation perfectly fine but if people go to facebook to get sympathy, then there's something very wrong with them, especially if it's sympathy for you down bellow thing. I mean, come on. Seriously, I just don't understand the need to have this option on facebook. Again, it's not a dating site. Having options like that look super redundant to me.

Well look, I am willing to bet, a trans person is not telling everyone they are trans all of the sudden because they want sympathy or looking to hook up. It's not about other people. It's about them owning who they are and being like, "Oh yea and by the way".
It's a huge deal for them because we as a society have a huge dysfunction with gender and gender roles and what not. Owning what you are is important for some people.
Facebook is a social site. It works under the idea the people you talk to, you talk to because you want to present inclusive aspects of your life to them. Isn't pointing out you no longer have a vagina and have a penis, like something that you would kind of footnote to the people you talk too?