def get_gender_id(gender: str) -> int:
    """
    A helper method for generating gender IDs.

    :param gender: a gender string
    :return: a gender id
    """
    if gender == "FEMALE":
        gender_id = 0
    elif gender == "MALE":
        gender_id = 1
    else:
        gender_id = 2
    return gender_id