Pretending to be what we are not
 

I am sure that the internet gives many opportunities to disguise ourselves and give no hint of who we really are.

Anonymity is a brilliant way of talking about things-- that otherwise would not be said or spoken/written about.
we hear of young people who are lured into A Net relationship with someone who pretends to be what they are not.

Paedophiles often use this as a way of contacting girls-- then grooming them and eventually finding a way of meeting-- it can be dangerous when girls are open and probably reveal things they should not--thinking that they have been conversing with a girl of their own age.


we all know we have to be wary.


On forums such as this there are several people who I had thought were male-- when in fact they were female and vice versa.

Mind you-- often their way of writing does reveal their sex, even if not many of us notice it.


I can understand wanting to remain anonymous. after all it can be extremely dangerous to reveal true identity on the internet.


I do wonder why some use photos that can make one think they are one sex or the other. But-- really-- what is the point of that?

Any thoughts on this?

Post Deleted.

Someone once wrote:
The reality of the internet: "Where men are men, women are men, and children are cops."

On a serious note, you answered your own inquiry. Anonymity on the web gives us the power to say or do things we would not normally say or do on the internet. This could include saying things that are hateful often without direct reprocussion.
This can also explain sex identity. I've known female video gamers who choose male avatars to avoid harassment from male counterparts who would normally not be so rude. I've met male video gamers who choose to use female avatars as they like to dupe dumb users. These are just two examples of how people can use anonymity to be whoever they want to be. And that's exactly why they do it.

I don't hide here the fact I'm a male in his 40s.... I've posted on Facer 3.0 and I have no reason to hide who I am. I've engaged people in conversations here who turns out are much younger than myself, but I don't have an issue with that, since the conversations have remained strictly on the up and up....

The only time I've pretended to be of another gender is when role-playing on WoW or Fallout 3.... If I'm going to spend hours watching an avatar, I'd rather have the image be of a more pleasing aesthetic nature....:D

Agree. In games that's my choice sometimes.

But on the net, why should I lie? I'm a guy, I'm still young, but I'm getting more elevated conversations by showing the truth, not by hiding it.

I've never lied about my gender. I have never been in a situation where being a guy would have been benefitial, so I haven't had to.

about 10 years ago when I first discovered forums I used to pretend to be much older/younger, a different ethnicity, even the opposite sex.

the reason I did it was always the same, to see first hand how different people of different nationalities, ages, and gender get treated by those who can anonymously say what they really think.

it was an eye opening experience, this is when I first truly discovered that the world is an incredibly sexist, ageist and racist place where people judge subconsciously and consciously at every turn.

for example, dogsbody, do you think you would have replied to robins threads the same way had you known? do you think any of us guys would reply so kindly to Suki's comments? ;) hehe sorry Suki but it's true! You really push the whole in-your-face-equality thing around a lot :P
and if you were a guy I wouldn't have said it so kindly :P

I often find myself thinking "damn, if I'd known I might have softened the blows..."

I think you are absolutley right JAMES. Maybe we are programmed to respond to certain things in certain ways.

by the way, what's up with the caps names DOGSBODY? I noticed you do that a lot, ...

No idea James. My fingers go their own way. LOL