Suffix differences for gendered pronouns?

[Coffeesan]

I'm sure I'll have the piss ripped out of me but I generally cant find any answer to this...
Watashi/Atashi
Watakushi/Atakushi
So above we have the pronouns for I/Me and the respective gendered versions e.g. Watashi for males and Atashi for females. Then we have Watakushi which is simply a ''really'' polite way of basically saying Watashi. Anyway all this is good but it leads me onto my first question..
As a male speaker I wouldnt ever need to say Atakushi or Atashi. The only context I can think of in which I would use either would be if I was perhaps quoting what a female speaker had said. Is this really the only circumstance in which I would need to use the female versions as a male speaker? Or are there others and if so could I perhaps have an example of another.
Okay secondly the suffix ''Tachi'' joins the end of a pronoun to make them plural so whilst ''Watashi'' would mean ''I'' if it was ''Watashi-tachi'' it would mean the plural i.e. ''We''. Anyway this is also all good but leads me onto my second question. Can ''tachi'' be used for both genders like ''Atashi-tachi'' and can it be used for all polite versions like ''Watakushi-tachi'' ?
Sorry its a long post but it needs to be clear. Cheers

 

[Mike Cash]

The suffixes are not gender specific. Nice to see you back.

 

[Coffeesan]

How about using female pronouns in conversation as a male speaker? I could reference myself by saying ''atashi'' but I would sound feminine right? So I would think males never have to use the other genders version. But like I said when quoting a female it would be expected correct?

E.g. something like if a girl said ''Atashi wa sushi wo tabemasu'' if I quoted her I would say Atashi because I'm copying exactly..

 

[Toritoribe]

"Atashi" can be used also by males in some dialects.

Can ''tachi'' be used for both genders like ''Atashi-tachi'' and can it be used for all polite versions like ''Watakushi-tachi'' ?

Yes and yes.

E.g. something like if a girl said ''Atashi wa sushi wo tabemasu'' if I quoted her I would say Atashi because I'm copying exactly..

Probably the listener doesn't so much care about the difference. Even if you quote "Atashi wa..." as third person's words, I wouldn't judge that that would be a woman's words just from that.

 

[Coffeesan]

"Atashi" can be used also by males in some dialects.
Yes and yes.
Probably the listener doesn't so much care about the difference. Even if you quote "Atashi wa..." as third person's words, I wouldn't judge that that would be a woman's words just from that.

Okay cool cheers, didnt think it would make any difference but theres lots of hidden exceptions and rules lurking around every corner so thought I'd check.

 

[Toritoribe]

I said about the quotation. If I hear someone said something like あたしさぁ,,, I presume the speaker would be a woman.