# Discourse, gender, and online forums

**URL:** https://meta.discourse.org/t/discourse-gender-and-online-forums/48317
**Category:** Community Building
**Created:** [8월 7, 2016, 9:19오전 UTC](https://meta.discourse.org/t/discourse-gender-and-online-forums/48317 "2016-08-07T09:19:07Z")
**Posts on this page:** 1
**Showing post:** 16

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### Author: ![Mittineague](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/meta/user_avatar/meta.discourse.org/mittineague/32/114259_2.png) [@Mittineague](https://meta.discourse.org/u/Mittineague)
#### Post date: [8월 8, 2016, 6:34오후 UTC](https://meta.discourse.org/t/discourse-gender-and-online-forums/48317/16 "2016-08-08T18:34:47Z")

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My understanding is that Discourse closely follows “don’t ask, don’t tell”.

That is, unless a forum adds a custom user field requiring personal information there is no obligation to provide it.

And even then, except for a valid email address what a member enters can range from entirely fictitious to entirely factual.

After reading this

> [@Split user preferences menu into sections](https://meta.discourse.org/t/split-user-preferences-menu-into-sections/38246):
>
> Update: We settled on anchors: Our one-page user preferences page is quite overwhelming right now. I think it ought to be sectioned up, similar to how most user pages work now. Note: Let’s not get stuck on what groupings are the most logical right now. For something to start with, I more or less just applied some simple cut-off points in the current ordering of the Preferences page.

I’m wondering if making the various profile settings more clear as to who can see them might help.

eg.  
this info can be seen by all members  
this by only you and Staff

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