Ever mistaken for the wrong gender?

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This was inspired by the "do you look younger than you are" thread. I was reflecting on how I've never much minded looking younger than I am, even though it can be a PITA. I was a short, skinny kid (I'm an average adult) which probably contributed to looking younger...however, it also contributed to another mistake people used to make all the time. People thought I was a boy. I'm wondering if other people were mistaken for the opposite gender, too?

I loathed being mistaken for a boy; my gender identity was strong even as a toddler. When my mother would try to put me in overalls or something, I would fuss and demand the "girl's clothes," by which I meant dresses. I wanted people to be able to identify me as a girl. I remember at 10, shouting, "I'M A GIRL!" at a little old lady who had said to my brother and me, "Aren't you nice boys to go shopping with your mother?" (It was shortly thereafter that my mother let me grow my hair out for the first time.)

This never happens anymore, at least not when people can see me. However, it happens pretty often online. It used to happen in MMORPGs all the time, and I just figured that was because more guys play those than girls (although that's not as much the case as it used to be). However, it happens on forums a lot, too. I switched from my old online handle to Rose_in_Winter because I figure it's more feminine. I still don't like being mistaken for a guy...and I still wear skirts and dresses a lot of the time!

Disclaimer: this does not apply to transgender people, who often were mistaken for the wrong gender most of their lives, due to being born in the body of the opposite gender of the one they are inside.

I have only been mistaken for a guy online at IMDB.

Quite a few times between the ages 8 and 12, eventhough I never wore anything particularly girly nor had long hair but I was pretty chubby. At those ages my family and I frequented a camping ground each summer, some of the children I knew there were bilingual (ie: they spoke French and Dutch) and their nickname for me was 'Le fille'. For those who don't know, 'le' is the male form of 'the' in French and 'fille' means 'girl'. I didn't care for the nickname, at all.

Not in real life, but I think it's happened to me online.

Aaah yes, alot when I was a toddler... I had a cute curly afro and i remember they got mistaken alot as a female... So my mum ended up cutting my hair, lol... Good times

LOL. Once when I was 14 and had long-ass hair, the lady only saw me from behind. When I was 18, a girl asked me if I was bi. Whut? Probably because I was skinny and wore tight clothes. But I'm a man thru-and-thru.

That used to happen when I was a kid and I had short hair, but I kind of liked it. I felt sneaky. XD; I like pretending to be stuff I'm not, I dunno why.
It also happened a lot to my sister when she was a little kid because she had short hair too. Except she wore dresses aaaallll the time and people still thought she was a boy. XDDD It was hilarious.

I get mistaken for a man, and I take it as a compliment. At least I'm the safest woman in the area that I live. I like being mistaken for a man. It makes me feel strong and powerful. Besides, I do feel that I'm a man in a woman's body.

Some people have mistaken me for a boy. I never really cared, I've just wondered how they could ignore my 'chest area', which unfortunately isn't boyish.

I was the opposite of you, though OP, I hated cute clothes and dresses and skirts. Still do. Haven't used them since I was a kid who had no choice. As soon as I was allowed to choose for myself I had my hair cut short.

not that I konw of, but I know a lady that always get mistaken for a man. She has long hair and looks like a lady, but she has a VERY manly voice, so people eather think she is a man and call her sir, or think she is a transgender or something. People just dont expect a women to have a voice like she does

Ye's I've been mistaken for a man.

Online yes, offline no. I'm fairly obviously female in appearance.

No, never.

It happens from time to time, especially when I have short hair.
I don't care.

Unfortunately my usual tone of voice isn't manly, so I have been mistaken to be a female twice on the phone when talking to receptionists...

Not in person, but it happened to me on the phone a couple of times. I was ordering pizza, and the guy on the other end apparently thought I was a woman because he kept calling me "ma'am". I know my voice isn't very masculine, but I don't think it sounds all that feminine. I didn't correct him, though, because it didn't bother me enough to correct him.