![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
thoreauI don't have a whole lot of use for them - but if you wear a label proudly - I say more power to you.
However, please don't write me a diatribe about how I'm a traitor to your label-defined sexual fetish group by not owning a label myself. I realize that defining ourselves either overtly or with subtlety is human nature. Projecting your overt definitions on other people doesn't make others feel good - or make them feel included. It says to them "..well this part of your anatomy is this or you grow hair here and there, or your politics are here, or you wear green shirts on Thursday - so you must be this. How dare you not claim your place in the 'this" community."
My path right now - doesn't include a lot of organized "this" - and I wish people could be a little more respectful of that - and not try to hit me with their labelmaker. (you know the one - the plastic strips you pressed letters into?)
When I was a baby-gay - label based community was very important to me - but as I've reached middled-aged queerdom - it means less and less and less whether it's politics, sexuality or spirituality. I just decided it was time to give my labelmaker to the thrift store.
However, please don't write me a diatribe about how I'm a traitor to your label-defined sexual fetish group by not owning a label myself. I realize that defining ourselves either overtly or with subtlety is human nature. Projecting your overt definitions on other people doesn't make others feel good - or make them feel included. It says to them "..well this part of your anatomy is this or you grow hair here and there, or your politics are here, or you wear green shirts on Thursday - so you must be this. How dare you not claim your place in the 'this" community."
My path right now - doesn't include a lot of organized "this" - and I wish people could be a little more respectful of that - and not try to hit me with their labelmaker. (you know the one - the plastic strips you pressed letters into?)
When I was a baby-gay - label based community was very important to me - but as I've reached middled-aged queerdom - it means less and less and less whether it's politics, sexuality or spirituality. I just decided it was time to give my labelmaker to the thrift store.
