Identity, Authenticity - Do they conflict?

julieisafemme · 01-05-2011, 09:06 PM

Excellent thread!

At Butch Voices LA we had this same discussion in a workshop on feminism. One woman made the point that labels are what people apply to you and identity is how you see yourself. She said that the two are conflated sometimes and that is not good for people. She said that she wants to have an identity before someone applies a label to her. This is bad paraphrasing but that was the gist.

I feel the opposite of some here in that the more I have learned about myself the more I have been able to define myself with language. The words are powerful to me! I am a Jew, queer, a femme, neurodiverse. These are all words that I chose to define myself and they are hard won and precious to me.

I am more authentic now than in any other time in my life because I can define myself to myself and others. Maybe I have chosen the right words now instead of hiding behind the identity I had constructed for myself before.

Thread Tools
Show Printable Version Email this Page
Display Modes
Switch to Linear Mode Switch to Hybrid Mode Threaded Mode

01-05-2011, 09:06 PM	#7
julieisafemme Member How Do You Identify?: Femme Woman Preferred Pronoun?: She Relationship Status: Married to Greyson Join Date: Nov 2009 Location: In the present Posts: 828 My Photo Gallery Thanks: 3,156 Thanked 3,434 Times in 660 Posts Rep Power: 21474853	Excellent thread! At Butch Voices LA we had this same discussion in a workshop on feminism. One woman made the point that labels are what people apply to you and identity is how you see yourself. She said that the two are conflated sometimes and that is not good for people. She said that she wants to have an identity before someone applies a label to her. This is bad paraphrasing but that was the gist. I feel the opposite of some here in that the more I have learned about myself the more I have been able to define myself with language. The words are powerful to me! I am a Jew, queer, a femme, neurodiverse. These are all words that I chose to define myself and they are hard won and precious to me. I am more authentic now than in any other time in my life because I can define myself to myself and others. Maybe I have chosen the right words now instead of hiding behind the identity I had constructed for myself before.