Why is male the default gender?

Question

Curious is there a reason why male/he/him etc is always used as the default for everything? Why is there a default anyway and if you must have one why can’t it be female sometimes and male other times? I mean when you think about it the default is actually female since all human life starts as female in the womb and develops to male or stays female latter on.

Thoughts?

JamesDiaz11 · Accepted Answer

My first thought is that this is stupid.
My second thought is: where is this the default? It isn't on the US Census; it isn't on job applications; it isn't on school applications; so, where the hell is the default male a thing?
Just because you think something is the case doesn't mean it's so, and even if it was what type of agency would be responsible of going across every possible form that includes m/f and make sure exactly half that have bubbles you click on (to select) are pre-filled in as female, until selected otherwise...

Lastly, you're scientifically wrong. We are not female, then turn to male. The second the egg is fertilized we're male- we have a Y chromosome. Just because our distinct sexual characteristics don't develop before other essential functions changes the fact that we are male from the moment of conception.

CloudMassacre · Accepted Answer

I wouldn’t mind if it got switched to Female Primary, I haven’t really paid attention to the gender default on things, but I’m also a male bodied person, so I’m definitely biased about it. But yeah, I don’t really care what the default gender is or if it was just eliminated

hIopinionated_ · Accepted Answer

When women gained the right to work, own property, go to school, and vote, the systematic SEXIST issue in this country was not fixed overnight. As a matter of fact, no governmental official or anyone in power cared to fix that issue

Simply put, as a result to centuries of man-made sexism, male and male issues is the default for everything: medically, language, beauty standards, way of life, gender roles, government, etc

wittymilf · Accepted Answer

Yeah it’s weird, the amount of times I’ve forgotten to correct the sakes form to female is a good testament to this. I think it is left over from when women weren’t allowed to work or own property or have bank accounts so most formal documents were for males.
it should be changed now though, why is gender even relevant really.

YHL6965 · Answer

Well, in languages like French, it indeed is the masculine that's default for something unspecified. See it this way, women are so special that, when referring to them specifically, we dedicate to them a whole new way of speaking while, for men and unspecific stuff, it's all the same.

As for your comment about biology, if I remember well, you start unspecified, although with more female parts than male until you start to actually develop sexual features.

AmandaYVR · Answer

That's right.
Well, I guess it had to be something.
But why? Because of dipshits like this: "We built society and we are smarter and superior" They may not be smarter or superior, but they sure as hell made all the first rules.

Anonymous · Answer

I see no evidence that male is the default gender except perhaps in some cases where it is almost always a male in the role or position (e. g., metal, machinery and related trades workers, who are 96% male).

Unless you can provide some examples to back this up, I would argue this default condition exists only in your head.

Sixgunsound · Answer

Default as far as what? Other than the first gender to be blamed for everything wrong in the world if at all humanly possible I don’t see it.

es20490446e · Answer

Because men have muscles, and everyone wants to have muscles.

purplepoppy · Answer

It's not, ships are always referred to as a she. Plus in most European languages we have male and female nouns

jahaims · Answer

You did a poor job articulating what you mean by default. You realize a lot of languages assign male or female to different words? Also most cultures and societies have historically been male dominant so it is more likely.

AviatorTom · Answer

Historically, men ruled and women were subservient to men, hence the default gender is men.

HighValue · Answer

Because men created almost everything in the world so it makes sense that they would have their own gender as the default.

MikeInHawaii · Answer

I think some style manuals are actually changing that. I tended to use “him or her” or just make things plural, so I can use “they” in graduate school.

WhitneySnow · Answer

Patriarchy. But luckily that’s changing and today the default gender is they.

NathanDavis · Answer

I definitely saw you first as StormMistress... not StormMister

Creampiekarl420 · Answer

Because men built society if your fore mothers got off their asses and let the men lounge around waiting for them to build structures and bring food for us to eat then women would be the default

_no_one_ · Answer

Mostly coz the person who build that UI is a male himself in case of websites and a similar pattern might be there for other fields aswell.

VikingWarLord · Answer

Stop being a BIGOT!  There are at least 69 genders!  Get your facts straight!

Snakeyes7 · Answer

Default in what exactly and why does it matter if you are allowed to change it in these unspecified situations?

joeldalton · Answer

What the hell are you talking about? Boats are all considered “she’s”

EnglishEuropean · Answer

Because females are inferior and shouldn't be allowed to vote. Hey, I don't make the rules.

Hanrej · Answer

You're gonna have to clarify what you mean by male being the default.

peedy · Answer

I thought female was the default gender thats way men have nipples

007kingifrit · Answer

i guess it depends on what you mean by default i need examples

TallAnon · Answer

If you're talking online, because there's more male devs

IsoUser · Answer

I dare any Recon Marine to poke this IED Question to poke this question with a 15ft Pole LMFAO

fonduegirl · Answer

Patriarchy sucks, sis

Anonymous · Answer

It's not. Many people have asked for proof here and you have offered none. It's all in your head.

KelleyNice · Answer

Because men invented language.

SJ1984 · Answer

The things that people complain about these days!

Jaguarsxr051 · Answer

Because we built the world long time ago

loveslongnails · Answer

I don't agree that it's the default.

jengeorge26 · Answer

I know, maybe perhaps people or person?

Secks · Answer

What exactly does this even mean?

Anonymous · Answer

What do you mean by default gender? Give examples.

Selena1987 · Answer

It’s your idea I don’t think this way

Nerdvana · Answer

Because it's usually our fault.

truthisthree · Answer

GOD made ADAM first then EVE

Anonymous · Answer

Ships are she. So you can be a ship.

Anonymous · Answer

We built society and we are smarter and superior

jhl_x · Answer

Default what? Where?

KuriousityCills04 · Answer

Whaat?

Why is male the default gender?

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