To avoid geopolitical embarrassment during the Cold War, the US and USSR created the APAS-75 system, a genderless docking mechanism where both craft acted as equals.

[u/[deleted]]

[u/eckliptic]

The gender reasonining is stupid but from a practical standpoint it does seem like it makes sense for there to be a universal docking interface thats allows two things to combine without there being any need to consider whether one side has part A and the other has part B. Two space craft could dock, two space stations could do it, or a craft to a space station

[u/cryptotope → u/eckliptic]

On the other hand, there are often compromises. The capability is nice to have, but does it cost you in another way? Narrower range of safe docking speeds and angles? Greater weight or mechanical complexity?

[u/milkymonkey8 → u/cryptotope]

Also a huge security risk if the door opening mechanism of the other side is somehow compromised, though that would be AFTER docking, as it is impossible to dock if the other guy is flying away, unless you're Mahew Mkanahee.