Facebook goes beyond 'male' and 'female' with new gender options

[Karee 4,189]

(CNN) -- You don't have to be strictly a man or a woman on Facebook anymore.

In a nod to the "it's complicated" sexual identities of many of its users, the social network on Thursday added a third "custom" gender option for people's profiles. In addition to Male or Female, Facebook now lets U.S. users choose among some 50 additional options such as "transgender," "cisgender," "gender fluid," "intersex" and "neither."

Users also now have the ability to choose the pronoun they'd like to be referred to publicly: he/his, she/her, or the gender-neutral they/their.

"When you come to Facebook to connect with the people, causes, and organizations you care about, we want you to feel comfortable being your true, authentic self," Facebook said in a post on its Diversity page.

"An important part of this is the expression of gender, especially when it extends beyond the definitions of just 'male' or 'female,' " the post continued. "So today, we're proud to offer a new custom gender option to help you better express your own identity on Facebook."

Facebook said it worked with a group of leading lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender advocacy organizations to come up with the new gender categories.

"Facebook users from across the country have been asking for the ability to reflect their gender accurately, and today Facebook showed they have been listening," said Allison Palmer, a former GLAAD vice president, who worked on the project with Facebook.

To edit your gender status (or other personal information), Facebook offers these instructions:

Go to your Timeline (which we sometimes refer to as your profile).

Click Update Info at the bottom of your cover photo.

Click Edit in the top right of the section you'd like to change. (The new gender options are only accessible within an autocomplete drop-down menu, so you have to begin typing to see them appear.)

Enter your new info and click Save.

Among other new gender options identified on Facebook so far: Trans Female, Trans Male, Trans Person, Gender Variant, Gender Questioning, Bigender, Androgynous, Pangender and Transsexual.

Facebook also tweaked its privacy settings to let users control with whom they share their custom gender.

Reaction on social media Thursday was largely positive, although some people joked they would need a dictionary to look up many of the gender-identity terms.

The social network did not say Thursday when the new gender options might be available to users outside the U.S.

Source:

http://edition.cnn.com/2014/02/13/tech/social-media/facebook-gender-custom/

[Pooky 3,368]

Why don't they include the option of just saying "Yes".

[DavenRoxy 1,073]

Why don't they include the option of just saying "Yes".

Because most people would then answer THAT to the question: Sex____

[Pooky 3,368]

Because most people would then answer THAT to the question: Sex____

Drat!

My nefarious plan was obviously a little too ... well ... obvious.

[DavenRoxy 1,073]

Drat!

My nefarious plan was obviously a little too ... well ... obvious.

Yes, you tried hard. But... the answer is to the "question" Gender, not sex.

[The Nature Boy 4,224]

Source:

http://edition.cnn.com/2014/02/13/tech/social-media/facebook-gender-custom/

More absurdity from the left. I am all about gay rights, but you are either a man or a woman.

Now having a place for sexual orenetion would make sense.

WTH is Cis gender

on another note I heard a Spa advertising manscaping on teh Radio today. WTH

[Pooky 3,368]

Yes, you tried hard. But... the answer is to the "question" Gender, not sex.

It's still a pertinent answer.

[GandD 5,966]

Yes, you tried hard. But... the answer is to the "question" Gender, not sex.

Wow, you told him

[Karee 4,189]

More absurdity from the left. I am all about gay rights, but you are either a man or a woman.

You can be whatever you want now. Nevermind that nuisance hanging between your legs.

I think I'll change my profile to say that I'm a Peruvian in a relationship with the neighbor's cat.

[The Nature Boy 4,224]

You can be whatever you want now. Nevermind that nuisance hanging between your legs.

I think I'll change my profile to say that I'm a Peruvian in a relationship with the neighbor's cat.

So how is the military going to deal with this?

Setting up seperate quarters for Men and Chicks was always a logistcal burden

How many separate now. Straight men, Straight Women, Gay Women, Gay Men, Transgender but straight, Transgndred but Gay, Bi-sexual

Where does it end

If Gay gays can shower with the men, I should be able to shower with the chicks

That scene from Starship Troopers might be reality one day

[Karee 4,189]

So how is the military going to deal with this?

Setting up seperate quarters for Men and Chicks was always a logistcal burden

How many separate now. Straight men, Straight Women, Gay Women, Gay Men, Transgender but straight, Transgndred but Gay, Bi-sexual

Where does it end

If Gay gays can shower with the men, I should be able to shower with the chicks

That scene from Starship Troopers might be reality one day

Simple. Do away with showers. Problem solved.

[mota bhai 2,675]

Yes, be French!

[Peikko 1,575]

More absurdity from the left. I am all about gay rights, but you are either a man or a woman.

Now having a place for sexual orenetion would make sense.

WTH is Cis gender

on another note I heard a Spa advertising manscaping on teh Radio today. WTH

Why do you lump people into directional categories? Why can't you simply say, whoever thought of this is a bit of a nutter? Why assume that somehow all left leaning people approve of such ideas? It's a very bizarre thing you do, try make an argument against an opponent that literally doesn't exist.

[mota bhai 2,675]

Why do you lump people into directional categories? Why can't you simply say, whoever thought of this is a bit of a nutter? Why assume that somehow all left leaning people approve of such ideas? It's a very bizarre thing you do, try make an argument against an opponent that literally doesn't exist.

This stuff is pushed by the left.

[Peikko 1,575]

So how is the military going to deal with this?

Setting up seperate quarters for Men and Chicks was always a logistcal burden

How many separate now. Straight men, Straight Women, Gay Women, Gay Men, Transgender but straight, Transgndred but Gay, Bi-sexual

Where does it end

If Gay gays can shower with the men, I should be able to shower with the chicks

That scene from Starship Troopers might be reality one day

Good idea, ban women from the army, it was never a good idea.