gabriel, originally uploaded by camillafelshaufen.

You can call me… Vanity Smurfette (or VS.)

I identify as… A unisex activist, founder member of UNISEX on flickr.

I’m mainly a GUY though, like day-to-day. Inside I feel quite feminine. But I deal with it responsibly.

As far as third-person pronouns go, … I’m usually referred as “he”. I don’t want to be called “she”. I’d like to come up with a de-gendered third person pronoun…

Let the dream go on…

I’m attracted to… My girlfriend, an asian girl who is both girly and manly sometimes.
I feel that she is the matching/opposite piece.

When people talk about me, I want them to… say I’m just a normal PERSON, talk about what I’m good at etc..

When people interact with me though, I would love them to not make assumptions about my inner gender, I find it very discomforting when people treat me as just a guy (men and women equally), I hate to be categorized.

I want people to understand… I’m on the gender spectrum just like everybody else, and where I am really shouldn’t matter. In fact, being relatively near the middle is a great advantage. I don’t lose out from both sides, I gain from both sides.

More from Vanity Smurfette (or VS.)
Flickr profile: http://www.flickr.com/people/vanity-smurfette/
UNISEX photo group: http://www.flickr.com/groups/unisex/

Koenji Ma Poule, originally uploaded by Jrim.

Someone wrote…

I’m reacting to two posts. The one on discomfort, and the one by the straight woman who is frequently asked if she is gay because she is a tomboy. I relate to both. I am frequently uncomfortable and I think a lot of that discomfort is my own doing. I’ve always been a tomboy, and though I think I’d like to be more masculine in appearance, I can’t quite stop thinking about what others will think. I wonder how a new presentation will affect my relationships. Right now, I can play the simple, slightly bemused, “looks are below me” card. But if I deliberately put more effort into looking masculine, that won’t work.

And so I wonder, is the straight tomboy speaking for me, too? I’m not positive I’m gay, but I’m not positive I’m straight. I’m just uncomfortable. As with the woman I’m responding to, I haven’t found many people that look like me. Nor, to be honest, people attracted to people that look like me.

And so I am uncomfortable, confused, and caught in the middle. And it’s all my doing.

What do you see as your own doing?

And what are you thinking about gender right now?

Androgynous, originally uploaded by sherri.person.

Andy wrote…

I had to come out to an almost-complete stranger today, a new doctor. Considering that only two other people know that I’m transgender, it was pretty nerve-wracking. I think (and hope) it was worth it. I have to wonder, though, does the explaining get any easier? I’m not so confused by my gender these days (most of the time anyway), but I get the feeling others will always be.

How open are you with doctors?

And what are you thinking about gender right now?

Waves, 1944, originally uploaded by bobster1985.

Hey all,

Thanks for letting me disappear into family-land for the holidays. I’m back to posting text content (by the way, you should send me more good stuff), and I’ve got some really beautiful thoughts lined up for you.

Oh, and also! We’ve got some fantastic new contributing curators helping out with the photos now! (You’ll start seeing their work this week.) Look for the “Posted by” names that are now showing up at the bottom of blog posts.

Lots of love,
Sarah

Someone wrote…

On sleepless nights like these I keep thinking about how I want my future girlfriend to propose to me and how pretty my wedding’s going to be and what I’m going to wear during my wedding. You know how the whole bridal industry wants you to think that girls fantasize about their weddings since the age of six? Well, I’m a boy and I fit exactly into that stereotype.

What was your wedding vision when you were growing up?

And what are you thinking about gender right now?

Hi All,

I’m taking a short break from curating text content and twitter content (and also from answering emails) for a few days while I travel for the holidays. There will be pictures posting here in the meantime. Be back soon!

Love,
Sarah

“Ronnie and Jo, Seattle, WA” by Molly Landreth. Used with permission.

This photo is from “Embodiment: A Portrait of Queer Life in America,” an ongoing book project by Molly Landreth about what it means to be queer in America today. To support the completion of this project, please consider purchasing an 11×14″ signed print from her website.

And go look at the rest of the photos. They’re gorgeous.

(Sent my way by GenderKid — thanks for the tip!)