Wednesday, July 21, 2010

Sex versus Gender

I enjoy sex! I have a gender. Why oh why am I repeatedly asked about Sex by various online surveys -- including one recently received from the Society for Technical Communication (to which I belong) -- that really want to know my Gender?


It seems so unfair. I would dearly love to report my sexual preferences, interests, opinions and objections. (Sex with animals, for example, just strikes me as icky.)  I could even provide testimonials from former girlfriends and perhaps my wife. But instead, I'm limited to selecting a radio button labeled Female or for Male.


Darn. Whatever happened to truth, clarity and a decent respect for the subtleties of English? Garrison Keillor, where have all the English majors gone?