I fall in to the +, but not gay. I spent my teen years with people assuming I was gay because I didn’t project masculinity, nor fawn over/chase women. It was frustrating to be misidentified. I’m sure people who don’t fit into LGBT+ are similarly annoyed at being misidentified.
It’s not a part of my identity, so no, I’m not. I just think that it should be irrelevant to whether or not someone should be allowed to exist or be respected as an equal. Does that make me an enemy?
I’d also feel weird if someone randomly said I seemed like an artist. Even though I’ve made an art or two over the years, it’s not a label I consider a part of my identity. Hell, even labels I do consider part of my identity can feel weird if someone randomly said I seemed like that out of a context where I’m demonstrating that. It’s nothing against anyone who identifies as any of those labels, but more of a general discomfort from being reminded that no one really knows me but will try to quantify and qualify who I am anyways.
It’s like saying “if you don’t want to be one of us, you must hate us”.
Not entirely sure what you’re asking, like if others’ perception of me threatens my identity or something? It’s not that big of a deal. Discomfort, not distress or outrage.
To be clear, the issue I have is using this as a shit test, not that people might label me wrong. It’s going to happen, it’s just not comfortable. But treating reacting with discomfort as if it implies hatred is just going to start a conflict where there wasn’t one and increase division in a time when we really don’t need more things dividing us.
If you’re not comfortable being perceived as lgbt+, are you an ally?
I think that’s what this post is asking.
I fall in to the +, but not gay. I spent my teen years with people assuming I was gay because I didn’t project masculinity, nor fawn over/chase women. It was frustrating to be misidentified. I’m sure people who don’t fit into LGBT+ are similarly annoyed at being misidentified.
It’s not a part of my identity, so no, I’m not. I just think that it should be irrelevant to whether or not someone should be allowed to exist or be respected as an equal. Does that make me an enemy?
I’d also feel weird if someone randomly said I seemed like an artist. Even though I’ve made an art or two over the years, it’s not a label I consider a part of my identity. Hell, even labels I do consider part of my identity can feel weird if someone randomly said I seemed like that out of a context where I’m demonstrating that. It’s nothing against anyone who identifies as any of those labels, but more of a general discomfort from being reminded that no one really knows me but will try to quantify and qualify who I am anyways.
It’s like saying “if you don’t want to be one of us, you must hate us”.
What does the implied perception have to do with your own wants?
Not entirely sure what you’re asking, like if others’ perception of me threatens my identity or something? It’s not that big of a deal. Discomfort, not distress or outrage.
To be clear, the issue I have is using this as a shit test, not that people might label me wrong. It’s going to happen, it’s just not comfortable. But treating reacting with discomfort as if it implies hatred is just going to start a conflict where there wasn’t one and increase division in a time when we really don’t need more things dividing us.