375 – Gender (R)

$a – Gender (R)

$s – Start period (NR)

$t – End period (NR)

$u – Uniform Resource Identifier (R)

$v – Source of information (R)

$2 – Source of term (NR)

Gender is not a Core attribute for persons in RDA. Gender is a highly personal and sensitive attribute. Exercise restraint in adding gender terms to authority records, keeping in mind these PFAN best practices:

Optionally record information about gender as the person self-identifies and explicitly discloses.
Record masculin or féminin in accordance with the term used by the person, or with gendered pronouns and/or inflected nouns used in the source.
Do not assume gender identity based on pictures or names.
Do not dig for given names or genders assigned at birth.
For transgender/transsexual persons, record the terms Transgenres or Transsexuels in accordance with the term used by the person.
For well-known persons who publicly transition between males and female mid-life and have literary warrant for recording both genders, record both masculin and féminin and other terms as applicable.
Record gender terms based on information in the source. For example, if a person claims to be a cisgender male, record Cisgenres $2rvm and masculin. If a person just says “en tant que jeune garçon [as a young boy] …” or uses male pronouns then record masculin, but do not assume he is cisgender or transgender.
Record dates (375 $s and $t) associated with a gender only when the person explicitly provides dates of transition.
Justify gender data recorded in the 375 field in a subfield $v or 670 field or both.
Take into account the following considerations:
- Is there potential for this information to harm the person through outing or violating the right to privacy?
- Is there an indication that the person consents to having this information shared publicly?
- Will including this information help a library user in the search process?

When recording a term indicating gender, prefer the terms: masculin and féminin. For these terms, do not capitalize or indicate the source of the term in the $2 subfield.

If neither of these terms is appropriate or sufficiently precise, record an appropriate term or phrase, preferably using a controlled vocabulary, such as the RVMGD or the Gender and sexual diversity glossary, recording the source in subfield 2. For consistency, capitalize the first term in each subfield $a for terms other than masculin and féminin.

Example:

1# $a Lenoir, Axelle, $d 1979-
## $a Transgenres $2 rvmgd
## $a féminin $s 2018 
## $a masculin $s 1979 $t 2018 

Last Update : 2021-03-12

Return to Table of Contents ⮝ | Manual ⮞ | Supplement ⮞

PFAN - Participant's Manual

375 – Gender (R)