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Monday, January 21, 2008

ISO 5218

International standard ISO 5218 defines a representation of human sexes through a language-neutral single-digit code. It can be used in information systems such as database applications.

Here's ISO 5218 for you:

    • 0 = not known,
    • 1 = male,
    • 2 = female,
    • 9 = not applicable.

The 'not applicable' seems to have been chosen with great wisdom! It can represent absence of male/female other then unknown! Uau!

But the politically correctness doesn't stop here. Look at this great disclaimer to possible feminine rights fanatics:

The standard explicitly states that no significance is to be placed on the fact that male is encoded as 1 and female as 2. The encoding merely reflects existing practice in the countries that initiated this standard.

Eh, eh, great ISO.

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