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Being an old professor in a technical field, I sometimes refer to outlets and plugs as female and male parts, respectively. Some more common references might include male pipe threads, female pipe threads, male USB connector, female USB connector, male banana plug, female banana jack, etc.
The problem comes when a naive college student asks me to define the terms. I usually stammer around, especially when the student is female.
Anyone want to help me think through a reasonable explanation that also helps me avoid sexual harassment charges? (And, please do not suggest that I just stop using the terms because there is a large amount of published material that may prompt the same questions.)
Thanks,
Emmett
I think the rather dry explanation provided by wikipedia works just fine.
from http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gender_of_connectors_and_fasteners
"In electrical and mechanical trades and manufacturing, each of a pair of mating connectors or fasteners is conventionally assigned the designation male or female. The assignment is by direct analogy with genitalia and sexual intercourse; the part bearing one or more protrusions, or which fits inside the other, being designated male and the part containing the corresponding indentations or fitting outside the other being female."
I think that is dry enough to avoid any harassment suits.
OK. Here's mine on the topic.
A man named Piet Hien aptly packs
A grook with hard, physical facts:
Concave and convex,
You can't escape sex
Discussing chaste plugs, pipes, and jacks!
By the way, I was joking about the limerick above, but I thought I should take your lead and give it a shot. Congratulations on your publication.
When Adam and Eve were wrought
God saw fit to partake in thought
On the fit of the parts
To the sexual arts
Though today we think He ought not!
More seriously, Emmett, I, too, work in a technical field and I've had to explain the "anatomy" of parts. There's just no getting around the fact that male and female refers to anatomy, and that is precisely how I explain it, without elaboration. I wonder if anyone has felt offended enough by the reference to bring the issue to court? But who would you sue, and what terms would be used instead? Positive and negative, perhaps? But those terms may get confused with positive and negative voltages when talking about electronic components. How about taking a cue from our belly buttons: Innies and outies! I actually like that!
Or you could just claim it is mere convention, analogous to masculine and feminine rhyme, or grammatical gender. But then you give up such a great mnemonic!
I think I should revise the final line of my limerick to:
When discussing chaste plugs, pipes, and jacks!
A poet's work is NEVER done. (sigh)
Martha Barnette
Grant Barrett
Grant Barrett
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