So, this person explains the problem far better than I can:
http://transfinite.dreamwidth.org/215469.html

I am female and happy being so, but chose not to specify my gender when I joined dA because I don't feel it's any random passerby's business. Telling people when you choose to is one thing, but being forced to show personal info like that (apparently the "hide" option isn't working, on top of the other problems) is just creepy. Accounts made before this policy came in are still not showing gender on the profile, which is good, but anyone making a new account has to specify.

I'm not leaving dA because all the stuff I want to use is still there and the only other options I can find suck, but I was thinking of setting up some kind of petition. Anyone know how to do that?