Twit wrote:Right, but basically what you're saying is that any remotely humanoid looking figure should be considered male unless it's wearing a skirt. This sign isn't meant to be gendered - it's meant to tell humans whether to walk across the road or not. Changing it to a gendered version does nothing to address unconscious bias, and in fact reinforces it.
Shouldn't we instead try to make it look even less gender specific? How about just making it look like a comedy android with a big round head or something? I'm not against spending some money to make people happier if they feel the current one looks too much like a man, but at least try to make the thing you do sensible.
The only bit I don't understand is why you think changing to a gendered pedestrian signal reinforces unconscious bias. By changing to a gendered version I assume you mean change to female given they are already pretty unequivocally male.
The bulb head stick figure used in some signals is still male gendered. All stick figures in media, games or drawings I've been exposed to over the years are male unless otherwise indicated (usually with long hair, a triangle skirt, big red lips, boobs maybe).
The only way to eliminate gender is to do away with humanoid figures. Either revert back to 'walk' and 'don't walk' signs or we copy Blade Runner.