The gender identification of imaginary creatures

[KatVonSweet]

So mumsnets favourite "women's" officer has been twittering about how t**fs can correctly gender mermaids - given mermaids have no genitals.

One plucky, soon to be blocked respondent amused me greatly with this reply:

"They likely think, that like the mermaids themselves, their gender is make believe. Like yours"

I wonder if mermaids produce any slime ointment that can be used on that burn?

Surely, if gender and sex are not connected even with genitals we shouldnt know without asking. I think that person has made a boo-boo in their logic.

Plus also mermaids are clearly shes, and mermen are hes. Its in the name.

I've never seen a unicorn with a Willy. Does this mean they are all girls?

I'm aiming for a first in my politics degree

The gruffalo - male

The gruffala or gruffalina - female

Not wishing to dwell on that particular person, having come to the conclusion that they are a really vulnerable person with serious issues, I will say the question is interesting.

In a "If a creature was half fish, half person, how would you sex it?" kind of way, of course, which has nothing to do with anything in the real world.

I often while away a few bored minutes wondering how My Little Ponies reproduce.

You've made me think about Care Bears in a really inappropriate way

Well, if we're on mythical creatures, this is my question: were Medusa's hairsnakes boy snakes or girl snakes? Also: did they have anything to do with trousersnakes?

Does Lily mean sex or gender? Much easier to tell sex on a reverse version...

Ooo, Betty, is that one of yours?

Sylvanian families are also quite the challenge. Because there are actually progeny. How does this all happen??!!?

I'm assuming some sort of miracle re. Sylvanian families

Virgin birth. That sort of thing

Are mermaids warm or cold blooded? Mammals or fish? I guess they are a bit like a duck billed platypus? Do the females lay eggs or gestate young, or do they reproduce by biting sailors? Mythological creatures are completely revolutionising my understanding of biology!

Floral - Sylvanian families are easy. Thrones in dresses are women. The ones in trousers are men. Exactly like humans.

*The ones. Not thrones. Obviously.

This reminds me of another philosophical quandary regarding mythical creatures:

If a centaur has a cardiac arrest, where does the doctor attach the defibrillator?

Well, Mr Tumnus was a Mister. But I guess the fawn part was male too?

I sexed my goldfish when I first got them; both male but can't remember how I worked it out.

Thrones in dresses are women. There are so many gender ID possibilities...

At last, someone posted Ooh Betty

I remember reading somewhere that angels have no gender although this is purportedly due to a misreading/interpretation of a verse in the Bible. But they are male, have male names and the word angel derives from the Greek angelos. In medieval altarpieces they are usually portrayed as rather winsome cherubs and any female angels usually don't have much to show in the breast section. Waiting for the first genderqueer angel blogpost...

....I have always assumed that mermaids do have genitals, but they are the same as whatever fish have in the back half of their bodies, and therefore don't stick out and mess up streamlining.

Upstart, I confess I thought about drawing attention to it myself, but I thought that was probably a bit too on the nose

I’ve always assumed unicorns are male, as in medieval bestiaries they are either representations or Christ or are violent beasts that run people through with their horns.

Hm bit off-topic but this is Lily's tweet immediately before:

Ngl - if I met a transphobic/misogynistic/homophobic/etc person at uni I’d take whatever actions I needed to, to protect myself and my education - including using a solicitor to get them removed from the uni if I thought it necessary.

There might be fireworks ahead.

I can't remember where I took this screenshot from but poster has a point.

I saw that too. Oh what a way to live your life.

Better to stick to the imaginary fantasies than that real world.

Does that big octopus monster count as a boy or a girl? Cthulhu??

Lol lass!

Come to think of it I've never seen a female centaur so the males must chest feed.

Probably hampers the archery skills though