Ted Gemberling wrote:

> Robert Galbraith is a male name. Catalogers in the Anglo-American
> tradition would recognize that. Why is it necessary to code for the gender
> at all?

That question is a very good one, and I believe the main answer to it is: In the vast majority of cases, it is NOT necessary to code for gender.

We should keep in mind that just because an element is defined, does not mean that we MUST use that element! Only elements that are designated as CORE are required. There may be communities using RDA that also require the use of the gender element. But I don't think any of our libraries happen to be in those communities.

There may be the rare circumstance in which the gender of the person is an important element to be recorded, perhaps to distinguish between multiple people with the same or similar names. But I would submit that those cases are going to be very rare.

Kevin M. Randall
Principal Serials Cataloger
Northwestern University Library
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