<select class="form-control" data-validate="required" id="gender" name="gender">

<c:if test="${not empty gender}">

<c:forEach items="${gender}" var="c">

<option value="${c.description}"

<c:if test="${c.description==user.gender}">selected</c:if>

>${c.description}</option>

</c:forEach>

</c:if>

</select>