Susan's Place Transgender Resources

I'm beginning to feel there is a lot more satisfaction when trying to work a self out to do it in verbs rather than nouns.

I relate from a non-binary perspective as opposed to I am a non-binary person.

It feels a lot more accurate to life. That the person you are is a result of the things you do rather than what you are. When considered that thoughts and feelings are actions and moments more than solid things.

It seems to accept that a person is a constantly moving and shifting thing, that an identity is not a leaden thing but changes in every interaction and in response to the outside world.

Define in nouns and even a self-imposed sense of self is a lump of clay that must be prodded and poked into shape. Even a self you have chosen becomes a form of prison.

But defining oneself in terms of actions gives it that flexibility of change but still has a sense of 'actualness.'

Or maybe I need to go to bed.

I wrote rote.

I ate eight.

I see sea.

It seems more accurate from my point of view.

I like what you say, PicaPica. My gender therapist always (rightly) steers me away from trying to define my gender. It doesn't matter how you label yourself, she tells me. It's how you want to live that's important.

you've got a very good point. what you're saying is basically referencing to the situationism theory in psychology:

QuoteIt refers to an approach to behavior which holds that general traits do not exist (perhaps apart from Intelligence). Behavior, then, is seen as being influenced by external, situational factors rather than internal traits or motivations.

situationism, or the situational learning theory, is a theory on identity. basically, it suggests that our behaviour and personality as human beings is regulated by our external environments, meaning that we don't actually have a fixed identity. according to the theory, our behaviour and personality, and therefore identity, changes with each situation we find ourselves in. for instance, the popular example "one acts differently at work than at a party with friends" demonstrates situationism, and is therefore used as proof by individuals supporting the situational learning theory.

so yes, to apply this theory to gender identity, it is completely possible that gender is not at all consistent, and that the nouns one uses to label oneself are "a form of prison" and that a more accurate method of defining oneself is through verbs, as they are more flexible.

even though i don't put much stock in psychology, i agree that using verbs is a better method of describing oneself than nouns.

- jackson :)

sometimes i like non-binary as a verb. if i get tired i like it as an adjective. words change to much to think of nouns. 5 years from now there might be another verb/adjective/noun.

I'm trying to verb non-binary.

I non-binary the world?

I non-binary myself?

I non-binaried my skirt pants today.

My happiness non-binaries me.

I non-binary myself into happiness and contentment.

I have non-binaried restrictive cultural perceptions and practices.

I did not non-binary myself for so long, until the sky opened and gifted me with the ability to non-binary my perception of myself.