Need help regarding select filtering of datatable 1.10 for gender that should match exact male and female keywords

I am using datatable 1.10 and select tag filtering for gender column. I have come across a problem where selecting male also displays results of female as male is a subset of female. I have tried the following methods to make it work such that the table filters the exact expression.

https://datatables.net/reference/api/search()

I have tried comment from this particular page which tells us to try the following code

regExSearch = '^\\s' + myValue +'\\s*$';
table.column(columnNo).search(regExSearch, true, false).draw();

In my code:

var regex = 'Male|Female|Other'
                var regExSearch = '^\\s' + regex +'\\s*$';
                var select = $('<select><option value=""></option></select>')
                    .appendTo($(this).empty())
                    .on('change', function () {
                        table.column(i)
                            .search(regExSearch, true, false)
                            .draw();
                    });

I have tried another method where regex is provided directly to the search method

 var select = $('<select><option value=""></option></select>')
                    .appendTo($(this).empty())
                    .on('change', function () {
                        table.column(i)
                            .search("^"+"(Male|Female|Other)"+"$", true, false)
                            .draw();
                    });

I have tried these to to avail. Any input on this would be welcome