I'm of two minds with terms like "non binary gender variant" and "queer."
The main character of the book "Far From Xanadu" by Julie Anne Peters is lesbian, but dislikes the term queer. She felt, as do I, that the term implied something strange about a person. I agree with this, but I also understand how the word is used by BGLTQI folks these days.
The phrase "non binary gender variant" is effective to an extent, but at the same time it seems to validate the concept of binary gender even while trying to point out that gender is non-binary. I use the term "androgyne" because of the two parts of the word ("andro" refering to male and "gyne" refering to female). I even like the order of the two parts as I am a bio-male. So to me, putting the male part as a prefix makes perfect sense. Obviously, others don't feel the same way as I do.
I've heard a lot of talk about how labels should be avoided. This is actually a great idea, but I still need language to describe, at least to myself, who and what I am. So, I use labels. I describe myself as a bio-male due to my anatomy. I claim to have female aspects to my psyche due to the language I use to describe myself.
That said, I don't like feminine pronouns used to describe me unless I'm in drag. As I usually present as male, I prefer male pronouns. I'm not really sure why, as I self-describe as an androgyne. But, I don't like gender-neutral pronounds. They seem impersonal to me, in a way. But, again, that seems to go again the whole androgyne thing. There are times when I feel like trying to describe who and what I am paints a picture of an ourobouros.
To Casey's comments, I'm not so sure I support all viewpoints. I support people's right to have and express their points of view. But, I can't support the point of view if it seems to be unhealthy towards me. Case in point, I've been told by persons on this forum that I can't possibly be what I describe myself to be. I support their rights to post these things, but I do not support their actual points. I reject the idea that people who have only "met" me online could have some better understanding of myself than I.
True androgyne? What is a true male? Or female? Is it just physiology? Or, is it deeper than that? Sometimes, cultural concepts define what is male or female.
To Nero's comments about a place being unsafe because of jokes, I'd say there is a certain amount of truth in that. I can't and won't speak for others. But for my part, I do tire of being the butt of jokes. Has that happened to me here. No, not yet. Have I felt condescended to by others here? Yes. But again, it could be that I'm mis-reading their comments.
But Nero's most confusing comment was the "YMMV" thing. Forgive this aging 'net user, but WTF does YMMV mean?
