What's in a name?

[yardwork]

When I joined DU some years ago I took a posting name that reflected my strong interest in gardening and also played on the idea of "grass-roots." Because my name doesn't sound traditionally female or "girly," a lot of fellow DUers assume I'm a man. "Yardwork" just sounds masculine, I guess. It calls up the image of a suburban white guy behind his lawnmower with a cold one in his hand on a Sunday afternoon.

It's funny because in real life I'm a femme lesbian who lives in an urban condo. I don't own a lawnmower, don't drink, and like to dress up with lipstick, silk blouses, and jewelry.

In contrast, there are a lot of newish DUers with very feminine names. Lovely, old-fashioned, women's names that evoke roses and the scent of honeysuckle on a summer's evening. Their posting names make me think of sweet older women offering me a tall glass of lemonade while they speak in soothing tones about Hillary Clinton. Or not so soothing tones. When crossed, they sound rather vicious.

[yardwork]

1. Precious stones and a garden of flowers. Please take note.

[gateley]

2. Unfortunately,

I chose to use my real last name. I've since come to regret it when I see my DU posts on the Google.

People assume I'm a man, too.

I also found that if a DUer has an avatar of a man or a woman (other than Hillary or Obama), I assumed that poster was the same gender as the avatar. I've learned my lesson.

You're right -- we come to conclusions we're not even aware we're making.

[yardwork]

7. I suspect that some folks make good use of that psychology, though, when choosing names.

Let's say that one was being paid (this is purely theoretical, of course!) to post disinformation on behalf of a particular candidate on a bulletin board. Let's say that part of that candidate's strategy was to convince people that all the sweet little old ladies in the country loved that particular candidate. See where I'm going with this....

[gateley]

17. Yeah -- another good point. nt

[LWolf]

9. There is nothing about my screen name to indicate gender,

but more often than not, DUers who don't know better will assume I'm male.

I'm not. I'm a straight female.

I think it's a matter of attitude. Strong, independent women, those who speak their minds without equivocation, who aren't bullied or intimidated, are seen as "male."

[yardwork]

11. Yes! A strong wolf is obviously male!

When I see your name, I think "Lone Wolf" and it makes me glad that you're a woman. Running with wolves.

[LWolf]

19. "Women Who Run with the Wolves "

has an honored place on my extensive bookshelves.

"LWolf" means exactly that: "Lone Wolf." I couldn't get DU to accept both words when I signed up.

:hi:

[Gore1FL]

13. I used my surname too.

:)

[hokies4ever]

3. Did you know that yardwork is a leading cause

of global warming? I don't have any stats, but I would think that the practice of constantly cutting your lawn isn't good for the environment. That being said, do you now reject and denounce your screen name? :rofl:

[yardwork]

5. Yes, I do! I'm an organic gardener who never puts down poison.

I don't even believe in having grass lawns in most climates of the U.S. I must, therefore, reject and denounce my screen name!

Damn. I should have picked a flower or jewel as my name. But then I'd look like all the Hillary supporters...

[Swamp Rat]

4. I thought you were a Hindu Yogi who worked at Scotland Yard.

Sri yardwork. :D

[yardwork]

6. I'm really sorry that you don't think that anymore!

[Swamp Rat]

8. hee hee

I was just kidding. :D

[yardwork]

10. Blew my cover!

I need to get a garden flower sockpuppet.

[NC_Nurse]

12. I really hope they'll let us change our names after this election like the last

one. I am moving, so the NC will be wrong. I also think it would be better if I
didn't have my profession as my name.

[TahitiNut]

15. I'm glad I chose wisely,

grasshopper. :silly:

[gateley]

18. I hope so, too. nt

[TahitiNut]

14. I usually don't give a rat's ass what people assume.

In fact, the focus on WHO says what instead of WHAT we say is at the heart of fallacious thinking. It's about MESSAGE and not MESSENGER. When, however, we ourselves feel obliged to comply with some stereotyped caricature of gender or race, we've succumbed to a kind of tyranny.

As I've said, I've sometimes thought of myself as a lesbian trapped in a man's body. :silly: :dunce: (It's funny folks don't get the point.)

[Catherina]

16. Your last paragraph!

:rofl:

Thank you. I noticed the same thing. Straight out of Tennessee Williams novels.

[Heathen57]

20. I use the same name here as I do on many other forums

as well as when I put my writings out on the 'net. (Don't Google my name unless you enjoy romantic erotica, LOL)

But due to my writing style as well as some folks who see HeatheR57, I am often mistaken for a woman. It is funny since I am a 50 yo straight male.

My screen name came from my wife's aunt who called me a hopeless heathen because I didn't agree with her Republi-Christian views. The family jokingly called me a heathen and the name stuck. Now I use it proudly.