over in Information and Announcements, Jackie uses the expression "and not of the male persuasion" to indicate a female..

Now, i am a female, -- not because i was persuaded, it's a matter of biology. maybe-- i could be persuaded to transfer my physical desires to be blunt, sexual urges to an other female, (but i serously doubt it, and it would be for long.) but no amount of sweet talking .. and that is what persuading is, is going to change my physical make up-- if persauading could actually change things, why i'd sweet talk myself into a size 6!

when did we start (and by we, i mean, at the least US's, if not all english speakers) start using 'persuasion' to define things that we can't be persuaded about?
persuade
SYLLABICATION: per·suade
PRONUNCIATION: pr-swd
TRANSITIVE VERB:
Inflected forms: per·suad·ed, per·suad·ing, per·suades
To induce to undertake a course of action or embrace a point of view by
means of argument, reasoning, or entreaty: “to make children fit to live in a
society by persuading them to learn and accept its codes” (Alan W.
Watts). See Usage Note at convince.
ETYMOLOGY:
Latin persudre : per-, per- + sudre, to urge; see swad- in Appendix I.

the link below is to the root swad-- which is related to sweet!

http://www.bartleby.com/61/roots/IE508.html