Default value in an asp.net mvc view model

Question

I have this model:

public class SearchModel {     [DefaultValue(true)]     public bool IsMale { get; set; }     [DefaultValue(true)]     public bool IsFemale { get; set; } } 

But based on my research and answers here, DefaultValueAttribute does not actually set a default value. But those answers were from 2008, Is there an attribute or a better way than using a private field to set these values to true when passed to the view?

Heres the view anyways:

@using (Html.BeginForm("Search", "Users", FormMethod.Get)) { <div>     @Html.LabelFor(m => Model.IsMale)     @Html.CheckBoxFor(m => Model.IsMale)     <input type="submit" value="search"/> </div> } 

Answer 1

Set this in the constructor:

public class SearchModel {     public bool IsMale { get; set; }     public bool IsFemale { get; set; }      public SearchModel()     {          IsMale = true;         IsFemale = true;     } } 

Then pass it to the view in your GET action:

[HttpGet] public ActionResult Search() {     return new View(new SearchModel()); }