In the UK "Jules" as a formal name on the birth certificate is normally male, but it's also used as a nickname for the whole group of names derived from Julius/Julia, both male and female. So to me it was a gender-ambiguous name, even if it leans to male. I had no idea that in the US it's typically seen as male-only, not until some of my American writer friends explained why an American editor of a "women-only" anthology had got in a huff about me submitting a story. (Even with a cover letter signed in my legal name, which is quite definitely gendered.)
(no subject)
Date: 2008-09-22 07:30 pm (UTC)