Since the original poll is invalid and beyond correction, I thought I'd offer everyone the chance to record their opinion on a female Doctor accurately.

ask for a sonic bj

Id firstly stop watching the show altogether and secondly get all my dr who merch and burn the entire lot and have nothing to do with the show ever again!

Come to think of it since when did David Beckham sneak in the Tardis go back in time so he could star in the Wizzard christmas song?

However, that would not stop me watching repeats of previous regenerations of the Doctor.

It is the ONLY thing that would cause me to throw in the towel after 40 years of fandom.

I wouldn't mind
Might be a nice change.

I really don't like the idea of it, but I wouldn't drop the show outright.

I'd give it a try for awhile since it'd be a shame to drop a show I like so much just like that, but I really don't think I would like it.

No no no no no! I can just about come to terms with the master being a woman - bit like 'M' in james bond played by judi dench - not that i had a problem with a female 'M', but the doctor as a woman. No no no no no.

Positively I hope it happens one day.

Also if it upsets part of the audience who are sexist and can't handle a women being in the role then all the better, it's good to challenge peoples views.

^If its 'sexist' to be skeptical about a female Doctor, then anyone skeptical about a male playing Miss Marple or Mary Poppins must be 'sexist' too.
And if anyone opposes a white actor playing Lando Calrissian, Mr T or Luther, they're probably just 'racist'.

When those characters become capable of regeneration you'll have a point. Until then, you're talking nonsense.

As long as they don't start calling her The Doctress I'm perfectly fine with it.

'M' is a job, not a person. Anyone with the required qualifications could be promoted or employed in that job, male or female. Judi Dench was not playing Sr Miles Meservy (or whatever the original M's real name was)The Doctor is not a job. Not this Doctor, anyway. Just as John Cleese's 'Q' was not the same person.

Thus 'M' or 'Q' could be a woman. Not the Doctor.

There's a slight anomaly there. There is compelling evidence that the designation M is based on the position holder's name, not the position itself. As luck would have it, Miles Messervy preceded Olivia Mansfield who Is being replaced by Gareth Mallory.

But you're right, that position could be held by man or woman.

Q does seem to be the position though, standing for Quartermaster.

I don't mind a female in charge of something (or senior as eg recently, a bishop) or a male monarch. We tend to assume that gender is something universal and closely tied to character, which may be correct. The concept of a female Doctor wouldn't make me give up but it's more of a change than I'd really like.

A different race? OK. He/she must be a Brit though.

French, Norwegian, Moldovan, Malaysian, Nepalese ... not at all keen. He LIKES the UK and has historical links with Britain!

American? No thanks. That really would be the end!

If it's going to be a female Doctor just to challenges peoples views, then that's tokinsim. If a female Doctor is chosen because they were the best actor then fair enough.

It's not just about the best actor for the job.

Would it be tokenism if used as a tool for telling new stories, to give the show new direction and extend its life?

The show doesn't need a female Doctor to extend its life. It's done perfectly well having a male actor for 51 years. Changing now to a female Doctor would be a huge gamble. Cant see it happening yet.

Typical dumb response, if people oppose having their favourite male protagonist being a woman, they are deemed sexist. It's hardly like the female companions are shoved in the background with nothing to do is it?

Thats a very good point.

Thats my point. Nothing wrong with M being male or female, even Q for that matter. As i say i can come to terms now with the master changing sex. The show would just not work with a female doctor.

What would actually be different, the Doctor turns up somewhere spouts clever and silly stuff and solves the problem of the week while engaging with companion and characters from the story. The Doctor would be a women but the stories would play out just the same, so how would the show not work, I don't get how the show fails to work by the Doctor changing gender.

Theres also nothing sexist about not wanting a female Doctor. Plenty of women Who fans don't want a female Doctor either. Maybe you want a female Doctor. Lots of people don't.

Quite right. I have nothing against females or males within roles in normal day to day life. Just not a female doctor.
If the doctor were to regenerate to female how would it explain him being a father & grandfather. A female doctor would not work. This show has worked successfully for 51 years. Why change it just to please a few minority from the PC brigade.

Sorry I didn't fully explain myself, I don't mean to paint everyone who doesn't want a female Doctor with the same brush, I just meant that if it upsets people who are sexist, and that why they are against it, then I don't think that such a bad thing.

I don't think that everyone who doesn't want a female Doctor is sexist, not at all, I can understand for example the idea that the Doctor is a great male role model, and being a slender 20 something male whose not big on the whole lad culture thing the doctor is certainly someone I prefer males to be portrayed like and would rather be like him than action types (screw you bond though I do enjoy some of those films too, except QOS that terrible, anyway) so I can understand if people want the Doctor figure to stay the way its been.

I have no great urge for the Doctor to change gender its just if they did go down that route I would happily go along with it, I'm not fussed either way, but it would open up a new angle to the show so yeah I think it should be done at some point but when its right