>> My only concern is that I have seen RS232 connectors with pins fitted
>> referred to as FEMALE because the shell is a socket! (Just to add to the
>> confusion).
>
>This is just plain wrong!  The gender of a connector is always that of the
signal-carrying element(s), so a
>Male D-type connector has pins.  Similarly with a BNC, F- or N-type coaxial
connector - the centre (signal
>carrying) conductor determines the gender, while the outer (Earth or Return
or Screen) is the opposite.

Well I know of at least one manufacturer (of American origin) who persists
in calling the shell that carries male pins as a female connector, in its D
series product line. This created much confusion where I worked where one of
the stores people pointed this out in the catalogue, and so I took to the
convention of specifically specifying "the connector with the male pins" (or
female pins as appropriate).

And if you want to be pedantic, it would be possible to use the pins in
"back to front" mode if using crimp pins which get pushed into the
connector. It may be difficult with the standard pins, but certainly can be
done with the high current and coax variants. Then what do you call the
connector, because it is not genderless, as the shells are different.

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