Archive for March 2009


Nearer, the glow


Safe Now

Safe now, originally submitted by D.


Posted by on March 17th, 2009 at 10:00 am

faces | 1 comment »

Just people.


Someone wrote…

It’s so much more beautiful when people cease to care about the labels on these things, and stop trying to contain themselves, and just allow themselves to be just people, that are who they are the way they want to be.

What’s your experience?

And what are you thinking about gender right now?


Posted by on March 17th, 2009 at 08:00 am

your voice | 1 comment »

Profile: Diss


diss

You can call me… diss – diss is my newest name, and most people still call me ruby. i’m a serial name changer.

I identify as… a girl, mostly. though it ranges from near sex-/genderless to strong femininity, with an occasional bout of masculinity thrown in for good measure.

As far as third-person pronouns go, … mostly i prefer feminine pronouns. in a language like french which genders adjectives and half the verbs (making a neutral gender almost impossible) i insist on the feminine forms. when used inclusively and respectfully i also like neutral or third gender pronouns.

I’m attracted to… most people, on a potential level. most commonly though i’m attracted to women in the androgynous/butch spectrum, with the occasional androgynous guy thrown in. and people who identify as other genders. but a brilliant mind is what will attract me most powerfully.

When people talk about me, I want them to… be respectful, accept my differences even if they don’t understand them.

I want people to understand… that being trans is not the core of my existence, that transitioning has been much easier than pretending to be a boy ever was. that the worst thing they can do to others is to deny them the possibility be be themselves.

About Diss
i’m a thirty-something transitioning ftq (or something). i’m currently struggling to reconcile the emotional and hormonal turmoil of adolescence with being a responsible grownup, and mostly succeeding by dropping the “responsible” part.
i’m also a student of sociology, and planning to continue with gender studies after i get my degree.
not currently in a sexual relationship, i am however in a donor relationship with a vampire, which is easily as intimate.


Posted by on March 16th, 2009 at 04:00 pm

profiles | 1 comment »

Cap and Shades



tomboy, originally uploaded by snootchie bootchies.


Posted by on March 16th, 2009 at 10:00 am

faces | Comment »

Every day something different.


Someone wrote…

It’s only been recently that I’ve realized my androgyny and decided to act upon on. But it’s so hard to figure out how to act. I’m not a girl who wants to look like a man. I’m someone who wants to wear collared shirts and loose pants and boxers and earrings and makeup and dresses and skirts with cute flowery prints. I want the streamlined male body one day and love my curves the next. How do you explain what you are to someone when every day you wake up something different, when you cannot explain who you are to yourself?

How do you explain this to people who are firmer, or stuck, in their gender presentation?

And what are you thinking about gender right now?


Posted by on March 16th, 2009 at 08:00 am

your voice | 5 comments »

Brown Skirt, Leather Jacket



20081022TRD055328, originally uploaded by reverendkomissar.


Posted by on March 15th, 2009 at 10:00 am

faces | Comment »

Sweaty palms.


E wrote…

When I buy clothes from the men’s side of of the store, my heart pounds and my palms sweat – like I’m stealing something. I expect middle aged housewives and grumpy old men and (mostly) curious five-year-olds to ask me what I’m doing, and if I know I’m in the wrong place. I get out of there as fast as I can. In front of the mirror afterwards I look more and more like myself in my new boy briefs, or loose, comfortable t-shirt, or jeans with room in front.

Do people actually comment when we bend gender norms, or do we just expect them to?

And what are you thinking about gender right now?


Posted by on March 15th, 2009 at 08:00 am

your voice | 9 comments »

Pause


Pause

Whitney Moses, photograph by Patrick McCarthy.


Posted by on March 14th, 2009 at 04:00 pm

faces | 1 comment »

Austin Genderfork Meetup!


Hey! A handful of us in the Austin, TX area are meeting up tomorrow for stories and tea. Come play!

Genderfork Meetup
Austin, TX
Green Muse Cafe
1-3pm, Sunday, March 15

If you’re in town for SXSW and want to join, this is a short cab ride away from the convention center. Email me (sarah at genderfork dot com) and we can coordinate to share cabs.

I’ll be the girl with the shaved head…


xo,
sarah


Posted by on March 14th, 2009 at 12:38 pm

faces | 2 comments »

leather



, originally uploaded by L O E N.


Posted by on March 14th, 2009 at 10:00 am

faces | Comment »

Privilege to discuss gender.


Natt wrote…

So often in the discussion about gender, we get so caught up and defensive about our personal definitions and identities that we lose sight of how the privilege we have (economic, class, race, geographic) can dictate the extent to which we even have space and language to engage in those conversations.

How do your other privileges (or lack thereof) intersect with your gender? How do your privileges (or lack thereof) prevent or enable you to discuss your gender?

And what are you thinking about gender right now?


Posted by on March 14th, 2009 at 08:00 am

your voice | 1 comment »

Profile: Nic


Nic

You can call me… Nic

I identify as… Queer

As far as third-person pronouns go, … I really don’t have a preference. But it is fun to pass as “male” sometimes, like in the grocery store.

I’m attracted to… My awesome GF of 6 years. Who happens to be a very feminine, beautiful woman.

When people talk about me, I want them to… Just think I am cool. Or not, whatever.

I want people to understand… That gender doesn’t have to be concrete. Once they understand that, it can be fun to play around with it. And it isn’t the first things some people use to describe themselves, it may be more down the list of traits, or not there at all.


Posted by on March 13th, 2009 at 04:00 pm

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Kilt



tandt, originally uploaded by teddave.


Posted by on March 13th, 2009 at 10:00 am

faces | Comment »

Through layers of denim.


Someone wrote…

When a man wears male clothes, they look overdone to me. I can’t see their masculinity through the layers of denim.

How do typically gendered clothing hide or reveal our masculinity and femininity?

And what are you thinking about gender right now?


Posted by on March 13th, 2009 at 08:00 am

your voice | 1 comment »

Some tomboys are early bloomers


The video is from 2008, so the intro about the Superbowl is a bit dated.

In terms of recognition by the general population, I tend to think of Tomboy as one of several bridges between Cis and Everyone Else. That’s just my concept. What’s yours?

Here’s the text translation from ASL, in her words…
Continue reading »


Posted by on March 12th, 2009 at 04:00 pm

video | 1 comment »

Alright, so who’s in Austin?


Meeting up with Genderforkers in Oregon was a lot of fun!  Maybe we could do this again sometime.

I’m flying to Austin, Texas tonight for SXSW Interactive, and will be bumming around town from the 13th through the 17th (tomorrow until next tuesday).  Will you be in town for the conference, too?  Do you live nearby?  Do you live “close enough” and have a way of getting to Austin? Wanna get tea and meet more beautiful people and tell stories?

This time, send me an email if you’re interested: sarah at genderfork dot com

We’ll figure something out!

~Sarah


Posted by on March 12th, 2009 at 10:18 am

meetups | 1 comment »

Sixteen



Sixteen, originally uploaded by Betty Broadbent.


Posted by on March 12th, 2009 at 10:00 am

faces | 1 comment »

Urges.


Someone wrote…

I get urges. Once I bound down my breasts once, struggling to breathe, and truly missed their presence. Another time I used my mascara to give myself a goatee and mustache. I looked rather debonair.

Do you waffle between gender-expressions, or is your gender (whatever form it takes) more or less consistent?

And what are you thinking about gender right now?


Posted by on March 12th, 2009 at 08:00 am

your voice | 1 comment »

Profile: Hanna


Hanna

You can call me… Hanna

I identify as… mtf transexual, genderqueer relationship anarchist, drag queen/king

As far as third-person pronouns go, … I don’t care, but if you come up with a really good truly gender neutral third-person pronoun I’ll be very happy

I’m attracted to… When it comes to sex: the female body, genders: anything but the normative masculine one

When people talk about me, I want them to… realize that my gender is fluid

I want people to understand… that the sex and gender binary is the biggest illusion ever conceived


Posted by on March 11th, 2009 at 04:00 pm

profiles | 1 comment »

Rouge



Maxime., originally uploaded by maedusa.photogra.?.


Posted by on March 11th, 2009 at 10:00 am

faces | Comment »

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