#but getting queer theoried via perceived gender expression

[rongzhi]

Ty for answering my q! (Am the guy who asked about lgbt being common in ancient china etc) since lgbt is more of a western concept what would be a chinese equivalent for it? Like how is the chinese homosexuality different from the west? (Sorry if my wording is off im not exactly sure how else to phrase it 😭😭)

I'm just talking about the cultural differences that shape what it means to be queer across the globe. Modern LGBT+ discourse was led and shaped by western academics so theories of gender and sexuality are based largely on the that of white thinkers. Although it's true that English LGBT terminology and the relevant standardised definitions have spread and been translated globally, and that Western ideals of masculinity and femininity remain dominant overall, similar concepts can't be understood 1:1 across all cultures. And there certainly existed something else before Western influence.

Also, picture this: you are watching a TV show from the Song Dynasty. You notice some of the male characters are always wearing flowers on their head/in their headwear 👀. You, proficient in imagery and symbolism, think to yourself, "💅🏼?"

But little did you know that this was a men's fashion trend at the time, practiced by young and old, rich and poor, hardly the indicator of queerness!

What I mean is, when it comes to looking at history, especially history of different cultures, basically you have to remember that there is a different context/historical framework to what is queer, what is gendered masculine and feminine, what is homoerotic/sapphic (and "queerplatonic" as we'd understand some of these instances and relationships), what is sexual, etc. So going back to my comment in the previous ask, based on all this, I personally feel that bringing terms like LGBT to such conversations is not appropriate because it also brings with it a modern framework which is not productive to understanding history as having its own frame of references.

If that makes any goddamn sense lmao.

#tldr i was being a pretentious and philosophical about the wording of your question #text #answered ask #but it's just like true in general that western views lead discussion on a lot of lgbt stuff #most people dont really realise it #but it really shows its ass when it comes to the intersection of gender expression and lgbt/queer theory readings of east asian figures #e.g characters not even pushing any literally not one gender binary norm within their contexts (e.g wuxia or period drama) #but getting queer theoried via perceived gender expression #or whatever you know. that thing that happens to idols #keeping this in the tags because i suspect it's irrelevant and i just wanted to be salty #every time i start thinking for more than 5 minutes i forget what the question was #also there will probably not be any videos tomorrow bc despite my yammering i have actually been busy this week #gay ask #look at me already forgetting new tags

[trixiedjinn]

hey, breaking keyfabe

here for a bit, but know this is only relevant in my personal interactions. Work is work, and I wouldn't be doing it if I wasn't turned on ✨🖤

When I say gender is fucking stupid, I mean-

GENDER. IS. FUCKING. STUPID.

Calling everyone I think is hot, a girl, is explicitly transphobic. So because I'm not a dumb asshole, and I don't respect gender as a concept anyway so my perspectives on my sexuality & gender as a concept are-

Gender as Identity asserts gender as an aspect of self perception, formulated by experiences and environment.

I don't like it because a lot of experiences are explicitly tied to sex, then associated with gender as gender-sex, and even accounting for intersex people it feels like giving TERFs a dub that doesn't make sense. Also treating gender like something ephemeral and unknowable is just faith all over again, and I refuse to entertain that on principle & personal disgust. ┐⁠(⁠￣⁠ヘ⁠￣⁠)⁠┌ I don't like metaphysics.

Gender as Performance asserts gender as self expression and behavior. Ergo a drag queen or Minnie Mouse at Disney Land are both women, and a mouse, when they are wearing their respective costumes.

I like the way it forces a recognition of the fact that gender is inherently nonsensical, and tying it to something concrete like expression, rather than "sex" or an internal experience that can't be perceived, makes it easier to recognize and thus shift perspectives as needed. Communicating information about gender, if it matters to that person, is easier when it's something you can actually share with people. It also tracks with my personal experience, and observation as just a voice actor and a person who has to go outside sometimes. Plus our punk queer identities are a lot easier to describe to each other & record for future gens via this lens, instead of treating "gender" like a Hogwarts house (with all the implications that contains). But it makes people uncomfy to consider their gender switching because they sat down a different way

Gender as Affliction, isn't really a theory so much as it is an observation about the way conservatives talk about gender.

It's nightmarishly fucked up and abusive, but it tracks 1:1 with how our dominant society expects people to engage with gender. Women™ are barefoot, stupid, conniving, baby makers, and moms; Men™ are violent, powerful, animalistic, tools of war and labour, that shoot cum. It the dichotomy Patriarchy expects us to live under, that TERFs are obsessed with maintaining so they can stay perpetual scrappy under dogs, and worthy of little more than destruction and dismissal. Dowries for maintaining bloodlines are\were a bad idea, maybe even evil.

I don't really like any of the three that much, though I like gender as performance the most, so when I say I'm "non-binary" it is by result of rejecting all three.

My gender is gamer, my gender is e-thot, my gender is exhausted creative, my gender is plushie collector, my gender is thigh socks and striped panties with a miniskirt, my gender is Ruby C# Python, my gender is Kingdom Hearts fan, my gender is bad poet, my gender is burnt out gifted kid, my gender is definitely AuDHD, my gender is matcha green tea latté and mushroom spinach Swiss cheese bagel burger with garlic fries. Dig?

To that end.

My sexuality is, [vers switch who likes (insert physical features)] ꒰⁠⑅⁠ᵕ⁠༚⁠ᵕ⁠꒱⁠˖⁠♡

It makes me slightly uncomfortable to broadcast my physical and personality preferences in my partners and friends, and conceptually it encourages weird people pleasy behaviour. Besides, the places I'm advertising my work isn't the place to shoot your shot anyway unless you're a colleague. I never give out physical compliments unless I mean it though (it kept getting me in uncomfortable situations when I did but I'm better at not people pleasing now).

A customer is a customer tho; I love being used. So tip me, or ask for service, I promise you're not making me uncomfortable.

#about-extd. #sapphic #nsft #lesbian #queer theory #sexuality #fuck gender #i like big butts and i cannot lie #queer nsft #bdsmblr #kinkblr #gender abolition #terfs fuck off #fuck terfs #gender performance

[crossdreamers]

On the Transgender Journey

There is a thread on the crossdreamer/transgender journey over at Crossdream Life that may be of help to many people who struggle with their gender identity.

Gender variant people go through a process of self-discovery when interacting with others. Their understanding of themselves changes as they get new words to describe themselves, and as they start exploring the hidden side of their psyche.

I have found that it helps to develop a vocabulary that makes it easier to make sense of everything that makes us queer, trans, nonbinary, gender variant..., and how we may change as we do so.

Given that we all grow up under different circumstances and make different life choices, every single transgender journey is unique. Yet, there are some commonalities that we can all learn from.

Thrilledwfrills writes this about the journey:

"1. We experience existential conflict with physiology or social role associated with assigned gender. We feel a more satisfying sense of identity with some or all parameters of the other gender, We naturally seek expression of our individual gender variation in the context of our daily life.

2. In a non-supportive environment, we suffer from the suppression of our transgender nature with psychological pain [confusion, depression, dysphoria, and other distress]. We continue to seek expression via crossdreaming, crossdressing, seeking community, individual therapy, etc.

3. We work to increase our understanding of ourselves, and validate the legitimacy of our experience.

4. We seek integration of our transgender nature into daily life, conditioned by perceived risks and benefits.

5. We attempt to achieve a stable personal equilibrium by:

a. Affirming our own nature to ourselves privately- in thoughts, feelings, and self talk b. Finding workable outlets of expression in our own circumstances, which may or may not be visible to others c. Participating in sustaining a supportive community, sharing feelings and transgender expression with others d. Achieving a satisfying level of gender transition on a personal level and in society, which encompasses many choices from simply ignoring restrictive gender norms through transitioning gender with HRT,SRS, and legal transition"

Thrilledwfrills presents a list of gender components which are separate, but often interacting. Any and all could be the points of conflict which launch us on the Transgender Journey:

"1. Reproductive anatomy- penis and testicles or vagina and ovaries being the criteria for assigning anatomical gender as one's fundamental identity, within a binary choice framework of  'male' or 'female'...

2. Secondary sex characteristics- body shape, voice pitch, body and facial hair location, mammary lactation, and many more physiological characters are classified as individually  'belonging' to one gender, and therefore part of the expression of one's gender.  So  much individual variation occurs that many individuals will feel that they do not 'fit' gender expectations.

3. Psychological characteristics- these are seen as expressions of gender within cultural contexts. Examples: tendency to  assertiveness v receptivity, dominance v compliance, intellectual v emotional processing of challenges, etc. These are cited as evidence of gender or are discouraged as part of gender norm enforcement.

4. Behavioral memes/expectations- Courtship behavior and its elaborations in everyday life;competition v cooperation; interest in manipulating objects v attending to people; fighting v reconciling

5. Appearance norms- Simple personal grooming v extensive transformation with makeup and hair removal; Segregated clothing styles- cut, color,  fabric textures, fasteners, etc

6. Division of labor-   patriarchal and matriarchal areas of  duty, privilege, and sacrifice that set expectations for every activity of daily life from the humdrum of answering the phone to child care, and on to designating who will be cannon fodder in war, or the drive to prioritize safety  of women and children in emergencies. These are cultural in nature, with long traces in history,  and have varying levels of justification."

Thrilledwfrills  continues:

"Every child is classified at birth into one of two genders, and then continuously taught, nudged, prodded, and constrained to fit as closely as possible the expectations for that gender in their social network. 

Multiple times a day everyone has to make contextual calculations to optimize their sense of safety and well being, to fit in, to meet expectations, etc. 

Everyone has the challenge of expressing themselves authentically within the flexibility perceived in gender performance standards.

We classify ourselves as 'transgender' when we have substantial conflict with the norms and want to cross over the norm boundaries so that we can express ourselves within the parameters allowed for the other gender. 

We are a minority, and will feel minority stress as a result. We will not be readily accepted when expressing  our sense of our gender, because it is different from what is expected. 

We will make the Transgender Journey. Those around us will apply 'corrective' enforcement- counseling, shaming, threats of ostracism, hostile workplace actions, etc. to bring us back in to conformance. 

We will keep seeking improved acceptance and opportunity to participate in the activities of daily life, behaving and appearing in ways that feel genuine to us."

You can read the whole thread here: A Transgender Typology and Unification Theory

Painting by Theodor Kittelsen.

#trans #transgender #lgbt #lgbtqa #transgender journey #nonbinary #gender #queer #enby