ETHICS-IN-GENEALOGY-L Archives
Archiver > ETHICS-IN-GENEALOGY > 2003-08 > 1061669437
From:
Subject: Re: [Ethics] Privacy
Date: Sat, 23 Aug 2003 16:10:38 EDT
In a message dated 8/23/2003 3:59:44 PM Eastern Standard Time,
writes:
> In a message dated 8/23/03 2:33:54 PM Central Daylight Time,
> writes:
> I don't think if would be accurate to list the gender as unknown when you
> know it.
> Perhaps the question mark could simply mean "I'm not sure which gender I
> should put." Whose database is it anyway?
>
I don't think most of us prepare our databases ONLY for ourselves--we prepare
them for others who will follow or maybe who will see our data on
WorldConnect or AWT/OFT or WFT. So when we use a symbol or abbreviation to mean
something -- it should mean something universally and not just to US. You can do
whatever you want with your own database but if it isn't clear as to the meaning
to those who seek to interpret the data it does little good for anyone but
you. Sort of like those photos you can identify but which are not labeled for
those who follow to recognize.
You can use a ? for gender to mean it has been both male and female at
various times but that isn't what it is saying to the rest of the world--it is
saying the gender is UNKNOWN which isn't true. The gender IS known--it merely has
changed at some point.
Unless/until genealogy software catches up with this situation and provides
proper tools to display it listing the gender as of birth as the gender and
showing a name change as an alias and including an explanatory note for both
would be the way to let others know the entire picture. Your note need only show
"gender change, male to female, as of 1/1/01" or whatever date the change was
finalized by surgery.
Joan
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