• m0darn@lemmy.ca
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      18 hours ago

      The Mona Lisa is an it even though it depicts a historical person. It’s also a she. It hangs in the Louvre and her smile has captivated millions. Gender is a social construct and we can nudge society different directions. We can encourage people to maintain a distinction between real people and imitations.

      • SaraTonin@lemmy.world
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        2 hours ago

        I think society has long established that we give inanimate objects and constructs gender. Bart Simpson is a he, despite being a cartoon voiced by a woman. He‘s often written by a woman, too, and the animation team will be mixed (although probably leaning male). Yet he remains a he in popular parlance.

        Perhaps more akin to this situation, there’s a long tradition of referring to animated singers by the gender they present as. Gem & the Holograms are referred to as female, as are Josie & the Pussycats. Hatsune Miku - possibly the most direct comparison, being the first and most well-known “virtual singer” - is always a “she”. None of these are real people or based on real people.

      • BillBurBaggins@lemmy.world
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        17 hours ago

        The painting is an it but the subject in the painting is a she.

        I think you’re going to get some funny looks if you called a female cartoon character or something an it. Which is what OP insisted we do

          • BillBurBaggins@lemmy.world
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            2 hours ago

            Yeah referring to it either way is fine. Everyone would understand what you mean, but saying that using she is incorrect isn’t right.

            Language is about describing things so that people understand and literally nobody will have a hard time when she is used. Which means that it’s correct despite your opinions about AI