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Assumptions about Mac users & Gender

mandizzle

mandizzle

macrumors member
Original poster
Jan 16, 2010
97
0
Southeast MA
Forgive me if this is in the wrong part of the forum, but I have a question...

Why is there always a primary assumption that every Mac user is a guy?! I sign my name as "Amanda" in my signature and I've still been mistaken for a male on here many times because the first assertion is that I'm into computers, so I must be a dude LOL

it's not like I have the most pointedly feminine user name for this forum, but I'm not going to make mine "pinkmacgirlblahblah" or "butterflyOSX" to prove a point or anything. I don't know, I just find it a tab bit silly.

this happen to any other girls out there (...if you're out there)?

UPDATE - according to this poll, I guess the assumption has a good amount of backing, considering the M to F ratio:

https://forums.macrumors.com/threads/854554/
 
I think that internet users in general are assumed to be dudes. How dare chicks be using our interwebs! rabble rabble rabble!

Honestly, in just my male opinion, I think Mac users are more often assumed to be female than PC users are.
 
I get mistaken for a dude all of the time online. My user name confuses 14 year old geeks. :D

BTW, your sig reads "amanda" but somehow even I overlooked it. Also, you can choose to not display sigs, which I have done in the past. Third, people hardly stop to think what they say sometimes let alone write. Ok dude?
 
kyzen said:
I think that internet users in general are assumed to be dudes. How dare chicks be using our interwebs! rabble rabble rabble!

Honestly, in just my male opinion, I think Mac users are more often assumed to be female than PC users are.
Click to expand...

really? the only real PC v. Mac stereotypes that are rampant for me are that PC fanboys are basement dwellers, Mac users are creative hipsters and that every girl MUST have an iPod on her somewhere LOL ;)

jessica. said:
I get mistaken for a dude all of the time online. My user name confuses 14 year old geeks. :D

BTW, your sig reads "amanda" but somehow even I overlooked it. Also, you can choose to not display sigs, which I have done in the past. Third, people hardly stop to think what they say sometimes let alone write. Ok dude?
Click to expand...

yeah...me and the word "dude" can be a nasty habit haha I don't use it all the time though. only when I'm slightly pissed (which also doesn't help my case, I suppose, in the long run)

anyway, hi there fellow female! *waves like an idiot*
 
I normally don't even consider gender in posters (unless their username is patently obvious; I've learned not to trust avatars, and I'm talking to you, rdowns ;)).

I will admit though, yours did catch me for a second, as mandizzle textually provided a subconscious clue, however unintentional.

Don't be offended though, I am often mistaken for a man as well. :p
 
jessica. said:
I get mistaken for a dude all of the time online. My user name confuses 14 year old geeks. :D

BTW, your sig reads "amanda" but somehow even I overlooked it. Also, you can choose to not display sigs, which I have done in the past. Third, people hardly stop to think what they say sometimes let alone write. Ok dude?
Click to expand...

You're female?? :confused:

:)

Anyway, I don't even know what the shizzle is in ManDizzle, yo, or even what a dizzle is, you feel me?

I get mistaken for a female all the time. It must be the sensitive part of me.

BTW, what's a shizzle?
 
-aggie- said:
You're female?? :confused:

:)

Anyway, I don't even know what the shizzle is in ManDizzle, yo, or even what a dizzle is, you feel me?

I get mistaken for a female all the time. It must be the sensitive part of me.

BTW, what's a shizzle?
Click to expand...

it's the same as a sha-doobie ;)

"Mandizzle" is just one of my many nicknames. people would call me "Mandy" all the time and I hated being named after a Barry Manilow song, so my friends would give me various nicknames. unfortunately, "Amanda" itself isn't quite that femme and the other nicknames I have are "Mander" "Mandogg" and "Mandib," so I guess I lose the name game LOL

http://twitter.com/account/profile_image/mandogghouse?hreflang=en

I don't know if the picture will show up when you click the link, but there I am in my awkward yet feminine glory LOL
 
mandizzle said:
http://twitter.com/account/profile_image/mandogghouse?hreflang=en

I don't know if the picture will show up when you click the link, but there I am in my awkward yet feminine glory LOL
Click to expand...

I have no Twitter account, so it asks me to sign up
Are you worth it? :)

Woof, Woof - Dawg
pawprint.gif
 
aw, I thought it would just show without signing up. poop :(

I'll post a picture after I hop in the shower (no, I am not taking a picture of myself in the shower).
 
mandizzle said:
aw, I thought it would just show without signing up. poop :(

I'll post a picture after I hop in the shower (no, I am not taking a picture of myself in the shower).
Click to expand...

Yeah, I remember looking at your profile when I was trying to figure out your sexuality. You have a webpage with your pic on it. You're way to free with info on the internet, especially for a female, IMO.
 
well since this quickly became man v amanda, I'm bowing out and allowing you boys to drool over the lady.
 
-aggie- said:
Yeah, I remember looking at your profile when I was trying to figure out your sexuality. You have a webpage with your pic on it. You're way to free with info on the internet, especially for a female, IMO.
Click to expand...

trying to figure out my sexuality or my sex (F/M)?

and which webpage do you refer to (the Josh Gates one)?

jessica. said:
well since this quickly became man v amanda, I'm bowing out and allowing you boys to droll over the lady.
Click to expand...

uhhhhh that wasn't my intent? merely asking a question and wanted to casually post a photo of myself. not trying to pick up anyone on here or anything :p

JNB said:
Ah, you assume we twitter. ;)
Click to expand...

no, I just assumed the photo would show without having to sign up to Twitter. my bad. but then again, when you assume, you make an "ass" out of "u" and "me"

*rim shot*
 
This is a subject that I have always found interesting.

Geeks are assumed to be men. Pilots are assumed to be men. Soldiers are assumed to be men. CEOs are assumed to be men. Politicians are assumed to be men. Doctors and dentists are assumed to be men. Garbage collectors are assumed to be men. Criminals are assumed to be men.

These assumptions are often correct, so in a way it's playing the odds, like assuming that someone is right-handed. But of course you'll be wrong to make the assumption a certain percentage of the time.

Forum users are usually assumed to be men in the absence of clues to the contrary. It's pretty funny that it happens even when you include your first name.

It would be nice if it didn't matter whether we are talking to a man or woman in the forums but that's not the case. Users who are known to be women get different reactions from other users, including from other women. They also get different levels of attention, sometimes wanted, sometimes not.

One good thing: The forums give each user the choice to hide behind a user name and say as little or as much as they want about themselves.
 
As a left-handed retired Sailor that is a Mac geek who drinks wine and likes to cook and wants to fly and almost ran for elective office this year, but sews and irons and does my own laundry and belongs to the NRA but has committed no felonies in my life, um, I'm now confused.
 
JNB said:
As a left-handed retired Sailor that is a Mac geek who drinks wine and likes to cook and wants to fly and almost ran for elective office this year, but sews and irons and does my own laundry and belongs to the NRA but has committed no felonies in my life, um, I'm now confused.
Click to expand...

love it
 
-aggie- said:
For all those wondering, Dr. Q is male. ;) I think. :D



Josh Gates, whoever that is. :)

Sex, you knew what I meant.
Click to expand...

I sort of knew what you meant, hence why I asked LOL

and yeah, I post info about myself on that site because I do the fan promo work for said TV personality and his show. it's quite a fun hobby, minus a few unsavory characters I come across once in a while when doing so. regardless, I get to interact with a lot of cool people (nearly 10,000 follow my fan pages) and the cast/crew give me exclusives, so it's fun.

anyway, nice to meet you.
 
I pretty much assume most people on this forum to be men unless further information is given. This isn't based on mac users I see out there in the real world (who're very often women :p) but on the overwhelming amount of male posters on here.

Anyway, I'm here too, being quietly female. People don't always notice the "girl" in my username, but I always scan usernames and signatures for clues. I noticed yours :p
 
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