Avatars

[VanillaDew]

Hey -

I don't know all the rules or etiquette about this, so if this is out of line or simply impractical I'm sure you'll let me know... but would it be possible to insist that all forum users posted an avatar? Or that all avatars were actually of the users him/herself? Or at least that the avatar was the same gender as the user?

That wouldn't necessarily require a picture of the naked gentalia, but at least something representative of the person.

I've heard more than one complaint already in my short time here (since Jan) of users not being able to tell the men from the women, or that a real woman is impossible to find here, and similar things. So while I'm sure I'm a bit 'old-fashioned' about being able to know something true about the person I'm talking to, I'm not really alone in the feeling that one should accurately represent one's gender.

It's probably unenforcable, but I wish there was at least some sort of control over this. Personally, I find it strange and disconcerting that men use female images as their avatar. Or vice versa (although I'm not aware of any women using pix of men for this). The nature of the internet allows anonymity, sure, which leaves it all open to dishonesty or role-playing, but still. I wish there were a way to control this.

[LoveThyself!]

Ok, 'Nilla. In the chatroom, at least, there is actually a written rule in the 'forbidden list' reading that it is inappropriate:

To misrepresent your gender, age and/or sexual history (including using an avatar that is not you) with the intent of deceiving others

I don't know that that same rule applies to the forum. While I agree that it would be nice to know, just from a pic, who I'm dealing with, that's sometimes not intuitively obvious. However, it's pretty easy to tell either from the name or, if it is still obscure, just by doing a quick read of that person's posts. You can figure out who's a guy or girl, or guy pretending to be a girl (fools) just by reading their posts (assuming they have any). You can also get an idea whether you even want to waste any energy talking to them in the first place - there's always bad apples.

As far as guys posting girls pics, though, I can only say this. I'd MUCH rather look at some of the hot female avs, especially the animated ones, while surfing these pages with one hand than I would to look at some of these guys. I mean, really, have you ever SEEN Charlie Bee? It's MUCH nicer when he's got his turban-topped model as a pic than the one where he's offering free prostate exams. And most of the guys posting those female avs have been here long enough for us to know they are actually guys... most with a pretty good sense of humor. Like Chuck.

All that said, if you replace your pretty pic with a cock, even one as nice as Draven's, I'll be very, very sad.

[Niagra]

HaHa ... oh Charlie Bee is gonna have you for lunch my dear friend. LMAO

Now then to the issue. I too really hated that when I first got here. Drove me crazy not being able to tell and quite frankly who the heck wants to do all that research regarding trying to read posts just to determine that.

However, I think it is not necessary that we change the avatars and I can see a good point in doing the girl avatars if you are a guy. But and I think I will try and implement some guidelines to be as follows... if you are indeed a male but you have a female avatar .. please include a signature in your profile saying you are male. That will really help us. If you know anyone that is doing so please ask them to do that or send an admin a note to ask them.

A word about the chat rule and why it is that way there... It is most definetley a rule and one I insist we have in place with absolutely no room for any lieniancy. The reason why is because in that room we get naked with each other. That is very intimate and we are all very much vulnerable and real. You can't get more real than when you are naked. Therefore to have someone lie and misrepresent themselves in any way at all can really be hurtful and damaging even. Can you imagine spending time jackin to what you think is a woman only to find out they were a man all this time. Uncool and I absolutely insist that they be banned for life. Hope that is clear and understandable.

So does this sound like a good solution? Please say Yes Niagra its awesome lol

[Outsider]

Yes Niagra it's awesome!

I'm kind of 50/50 on the male vs. female avatar thing. On one hand I think that the avatar should reflect the gender. On the other hand, an avatar often represents an interest of the member and I'm definitely interested in females so I can understand the guys that put up a picture of a hot lady.

I think if a forum member has an ambiguous screen name then it's better that they have an avatar representative of their gender or at least at a minimum that their gender be listed in their signature. For example, my screen name isn't clear one way or the other, especially if I had a confusing avatar, so that's why I list my gender in my signature.

<<< is my avatar clear?

[ilikeitalot]

My avatar has always been various views of my very own favorite body part since I've been here... for over a year. But lately, that's just kinda boring me. That's the reason I've switched. I may change back soon, but even if I don't, I'm assuming everyone here knows I'm ALL male by now lol.

I agree that males using female avatars should put their gender in their sig though. That needs to be made clear.

I also agree with LT. It's much more exciting for me to see a hot female avatar, than it is to see yet another cock. I can see where girls might have a different opinion on that though lol.

[BigBoy80]

BTW ilikeitalot, your new avatar rocks!

[VanillaDew]

Thanks for the clarification about the rules, everyone. Putting it in the signature is an excellent idea, too.

I understand that the guys generally prefer to look at gals pix, but still... the whole point of an computer avatar by definition is "a graphical image that represents a person, as on the internet" (according to dictionary.com). I can't help it if there are just way more guys than gals on the forum in the first place, so there are fewer vulvas and breasts in the avatars than penises. This isn't a matter, either, of what I prefer to look at. I just prefer being able to 'see' who I'm talking to, no matter what gender he/she is.

What IS the official ratio of men to women around here anyway? Does anyone know?

[LoveThyself!]

'Bout 10,000 to 1, I'm guessing. That's why being bi isn't such a bad thing, but then again, 'Nilla, I'm preaching to the choir there, aren't I!

[VanillaDew]

10,000 handsome cocks for my one wet pussy? Oh my. That's too good to be true.

But wait... there's Niagra, SavoryIce, Vada.... still. With that number of men, I can afford to share.

[Random]

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[BigBoy80]

I want to be able to post a pic of a girl if I want.

But how about a mandatory option in your profile between male/female? And then it Would say just below your nick on the left. Maybe a different symbol for each sex, or simply Male/Female.

[BigBoy80]

Another point; if I want to use a pic of a cock I think looks great, that will not be me either. So using Peter North's beautiful cock as an avatar would also be misrepresenting myself, just like if I had used a picture of Sunrise Adams.

I think the administrators should consider my suggestion about having a choice in everyone's profile that says male/female, and having it show up below the poster's name, along with MP bucks and post count. That way everyone would be free to use the exact avatar they wanted. If I post a pic of another guy's cock, I can label it that it is not mine if people want that....

[BigBoy80]

Yet another suggestion:

Why don't you allow people to write a sentence below the avatar that describes it. That way we can write if it is ourselves or someone else.

[BigBoy80]

Bumbing. I'd really love to see a feature where we could list gender and sexual preference below the avatar image, along with a picture description. That would make it obvious if the picture is my own or not.