Male or Female?

[Suspect Chin]

I'm having an argument with a colleague over what constitutes male or female plugs.


In this situation below, the pipe is the male and the elbow is the female. This is obvious.
http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/b/b1/Malefemalepipe.jpg

In this situation below, however, which is male and which is female? Is the gender determined by the pins or the entire plug? If it is the pins, then the bottom one is male. If it is the plug, then the top one is male because it gets inserted into the bottom one.
http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/9/92/SVGA_port.jpg

http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/e/ea/Serial_port.jpg

[EliSnow]

I'm having an argument with a colleague over what constitutes male or female plugs.


In this situation below, the pipe is the male and the elbow is the female. This is obvious.
http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/b/b1/Malefemalepipe.jpg

In this situation below, however, which is male and which is female? Is the gender determined by the pins or the entire plug? If it is the pins, then the bottom one is male. If it is the plug, then the top one is male because it gets inserted into the bottom one.
http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/9/92/SVGA_port.jpg

http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/e/ea/Serial_port.jpg

If forced to choose, I'd say the bottom. Otherwise, I'd say they are both hermaphroditic.

[Dude!]

the one with the holes
is always the female
whether it is stationary or not

so, in your case,
the blue one is the female

[underdog]

The bottom one is male because of the pins, I would think.

[hammersavage]

That top one can take 15 pins. What a slut

[underdog]

That top one can take 15 pins. What a slut

http://image.made-in-china.com/2f0j00NBeEbTsPEVcC/Explosion-Proof-of-20-Pin-Electrical-Connector.jpg

I have a feeling this thread is going to turn sr71blackbird on.

[ozzie]

The connector housings are referred to as "Plugs" and "Receptacles"... so I supposed you could consider the Plug as being the "male" and Receptacles being the "female"... but the connector bodies themselves are not generally referred to by the "sex", because you also have male / female contacts, so depending upon your field, you're both kinda right.

You can have female contacts in a Plug and/or male contacts in a Receptacle, or vise versa.

In aviation, we normally refer to both the style of the connector and the contacts. (Male-Plug... Female-Plug... Male-Receptacle...)

It would be simpler if all plugs were male, or some norm, but f there's power involved, the side supplying the power will have female contacts, which is why they make both styles.

[Dude!]

The bottom one is male because of the pins, I would think.

you shoulda just said:
"i agree with Dude!
for the 2nd time today"

in fact, i should always
just speak for you

[ANC]

In this situation below, however, which is male and which is female? Is the gender determined by the pins or the entire plug? If it is the pins, then the bottom one is male. If it is the plug, then the top one is male because it gets inserted into the bottom one.
http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/9/92/SVGA_port.jpg

http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/e/ea/Serial_port.jpg

The top one is a female VGA port

The bottom is a male RS232 port

Wierd how RS232 is the only male connector on a PC (It is also sad that I pointed that out)

[opie's twisted balls]

the one with the holes
is always the female
What he said.

There are some connectors that are universal (i.e. plantronics headsets) where the ends aren't specifically male or female.
http://i47.tinypic.com/1rojmw.jpg

[topless_mike]

Wierd how RS232 is the only male connector on a PC (It is also sad that I pointed that out)

dork.

[ANC]

dork.

get back to the salt mines you!


:laugh:

[Snoogans]

it doesnt matter about pins and shit. both of the things in the first post are considered female, cause thats where it gets plugged in. The plug part is always male, its not really about what it looks like. Female is the receiver plug and male is the actual plug you have to connect

[ozzie]

it doesnt matter about pins and shit. both of the things in the first post are considered female, cause thats where it gets plugged in. The plug part is always male, its not really about what it looks like. Female is the receiver plug and male is the actual plug you have to connect

It does matter, because they're not always mounted. Sometimes it's just opposite ends of a cable you have to identify...

http://rocky.digikey.com/weblib/American%20Electrical/Web%20Photos/DSUB-15-MF%20SERIES.jpg

Left - Male-Receptacle

Right - Female-Plug

[Suspect Chin]

it doesnt matter about pins and shit. both of the things in the first post are considered female, cause thats where it gets plugged in. The plug part is always male, its not really about what it looks like. Female is the receiver plug and male is the actual plug you have to connect

I know for sure this is incorrect.

[Suspect Chin]

It does matter, because they're not always mounted. Sometimes it's just opposite ends of a cable you have to identify...

http://rocky.digikey.com/weblib/American%20Electrical/Web%20Photos/DSUB-15-MF%20SERIES.jpg

Left - Male-Receptacle

Right - Female-Plug

I think this is correct. It is far too complicated though. It should just be if it sticks into something it is male, if it accepts something it is female. That is how it works with the pipe in the top picture, but for some reason when it comes to plugs, we have to consider the pins and not just the plug itself.

[Snoogans]

I know for sure this is incorrect.

well it shouldnt be. cause it makes more sense to just plug the male into the female than it does having it based on which side has the fuckin tongs

[Suspect Chin]

well it shouldnt be. cause it makes more sense to just plug the male into the female than it does having it based on which side has the fuckin tongs

What if you have the situation like the two pictures above? According to your rule, both of those receptacles are female but clearly they take a different kind of plug in. There has to be a way of differentiating what kind of plug in is necessary--either pins out or pins in.

[KnoxHarrington]

We don't need you and your queer computer plugs around here.

God made Adam & Eve, not Adam & Steve. It's against nature.

[Dude!]

well it shouldnt be. cause it makes more sense to just plug the male into the female than it does having it based on which side has the fuckin tongs

that is crazy talk

this is so easy
they are called male and female
for a reason

the female has holes, like a vagina
the males has the little pins, like penises

it is not brain surgery

[Snoogans]

that is crazy talk

this is so easy
they are called male and female
for a reason

the female has holes, like a vagina
the males has the little pins, like penises

it is not brain surgery

yea but then if the one with holes plus into the one with pins, then you are stickin a vagina into a penis

[SatCam]

it has everything to do with the pins and nothing to do with the outside housing, so the one with the pins is male and the one with the holes is female

[Chigworthy]

You guys are a bunch of receptacles.

[opie's twisted balls]

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gender_of_connectors_and_fasteners

[Suspect Chin]

it has everything to do with the pins and nothing to do with the outside housing, so the one with the pins is male and the one with the holes is female

Then why does the pipe example have everything to do with the outside housing?

[opie's twisted balls]

Then why does the pipe example have everything to do with the outside housing?
Because the point of reference or what's of importance for a cable or data connector is the pins and not the physical means of keeping the two ends bound together. With the pipe the physical connection is the point of reference so that's how gender is assigned.

[Suspect Chin]

Because the point of reference or what's of importance for a cable or data connector is the pins and not the physical means of keeping the two ends bound together. With the pipe the physical connection is the point of reference so that's how gender is assigned.

I understand that but I'm starting a movement to have it changed.

[Snoogans]

I understand that but I'm starting a movement to have it changed.

im down

[opie's twisted balls]

I understand that but I'm starting a movement to have it changed.
I'll add my support to your movement if you lead by example. Go for gender reassignment surgery and have your wiener inverted into a vag so we can start calling you female.

[Suspect Chin]

I'll add my support to your movement if you lead by example. Go for gender reassignment surgery and have your wiener inverted into a vag so we can start calling you female.

I will, then I'll start a thread titled "Male or Female 2" complete with pictures.

[Suspect Chin]

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gender_of_connectors_and_fasteners

Yeah. If you didn't notice, I stole all three of those pictures directly from that link.

[opie's twisted balls]

I will, then I'll start a thread titled "Male or Female 2" complete with pictures.
Only if the after pictures look like Kim Petras

Yeah. If you didn't notice, I stole all three of those pictures directly from that link.
Wasn't posted for your benefit

[sr71blackbird]

The male always fits inside a female. Also, the females smell a little like fish

[FUNKMAN]

the banana slug has both a penis and a vagina. after mating they proceed to chew the others penis off

[PapaBear]

the VIRGIN banana slug has both a penis and a vagina. after mating they proceed to chew the others penis off
Fixed it for ya!

[FUNKMAN]

Fixed it for ya!


that's thinking with your head