Archive for March 2009


Freedom and entanglement.


Leigh wrote…

I had never put too much thought into gender until recently, and I feel like I discovered a new freedom and an entanglement all at once. In the back of my mind, I had always felt like it’s too bad I’m a girl all the time and can’t just balance on a line in between girl and boy. But now I know I can, and it’s a matter of deciding what that means to me and who I am outside the context of certain behaviors I’ve trained myself to do or suppress…

How has your ability to express the subtleties of your gender been a “freedom and entanglement”?

And what are you thinking about gender right now?


Posted by on March 11th, 2009 at 08:00 am

your voice | 4 comments »

Words of hope


Simple, beautiful words.


Posted by on March 10th, 2009 at 04:00 pm

video | 1 comment »

Hair



Une fille au masculin, originally uploaded by Chris Leo.


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

faces | Comment »

Two unmoving social monoliths.


Jools wrote…

I’m really down about all this right now. I used to be an angry, proud, inspired genderqueer human being who was trying to squeeze in between two unmoving social monoliths. Today I’m just a sad transvestite.

What’s your experience?

And what are you thinking about gender right now?


Posted by on March 10th, 2009 at 08:00 am

your voice | 1 comment »

Profile: Sabien


Sabien

You can call me… Sabien.

I identify as… Genderqueer, with pressured specifics such as; transmasculine, T-boy, boidyke, androgyne, and FTM.

As far as third-person pronouns go, … He, Him, His. I have tolerated and accepted feminine pronouns for most of my young life, but I am no longer comfortable with them. In ways, this makes me sad.

I’m attracted to… Anomalies, genderqueer folk, fluiders, agenders, transpeople, oddballs, individuals, and brains. Chromosomal sex has no meaning to me.

I also like nice shoes, alternative haircuts, and white ford cargo vans filled with promises of candy and carnivals.

When people talk about me, I want them to… Speak about things that matter, and issues that relate to them, and not to pass judgments nobody has the right to make on another person. There is an explicit difference between expressing your opinion and disagreeing, and saying “You’re wrong; I’m right.”

I want people to understand… That although I am transgendered, it is only one part among many, and there is so much more as a whole, complex person and functional individual than my gender variance, which nonetheless should be given the same amount of respect as every other unique part of my person.

About Sabien
Sapient of assorted features and discrepancies. Roughly 5’4”, disjointed ectomorphic figure, pixiecut Havok aquamarine hair, sunken eyes, stereotypic fidget. Bad with shoelaces. Refined sugar and milk chocolate addiction. Gemini, Aquarius rising. Takes disco and acid-funk with his tea.

Is frequently glimpsed in fridges, musty larders, crawl-spaces, and innocuous looking shrubs. Keep children, pets, and valuable lawn furniture away from the reclusive venom-frothing (yet gloweringly provocative) horror from Saturn’s Janus ring.

Thank you for your kind attention.


Posted by on March 9th, 2009 at 04:00 pm

profiles | 2 comments »

Pink Ninja



Pink Ninjas, originally uploaded by simonella_virus.


Posted by on March 9th, 2009 at 10:00 am

faces | 5 comments »

Customising ourselves.


John Pickman wrote…

We are approaching a time when we can customize ourselves to suit who we want to be, who we need to be, and who we know we really are. When the software can be rewritten, the hardware can be upgraded, and we can live any and all of our dreams. And that is a wonderful thing.

How is this ability to rewrite the software and upgrade hardware of the human body both a bad and good thing? What kind of repercussions will this have on the human race?

And what are you thinking about gender right now?


Posted by on March 9th, 2009 at 08:00 am

your voice | 1 comment »

The general gender bear him


Prince of Denmark

Prince of Denmark, originally submitted by D.


Posted by on March 8th, 2009 at 04:00 pm

faces | 3 comments »

Geisha



366-284, originally uploaded by Mr. Moog.


Posted by on March 8th, 2009 at 10:00 am

faces | 4 comments »

Ablutions and gender.


Someone wrote…

Why is it that the location of bathrooms in public facilities (e.g. at the airport) are indicated not by an icon showing some kind of ablution, but by an icon showing a man and a woman (separated from each other)?

And following up, how did it come about that our ablutions got so strongly linked with gender that a symbol based on gender has become the most universal symbol we have for the location where we perform them?

If you could redesign the bathroom sign, how would it look?

And what are you thinking about gender right now?


Posted by on March 8th, 2009 at 08:00 am

your voice | 2 comments »

Advertising Androgyny


Airport Ad Androgyny

Airport Ad Androgyny, originally submitted by A.

“I found this ad at Kastrup Airport in Copenhagen. It feels very “Gibson”-esque to begin with, a large biotech-style company into relatively vague stuff, promoting themselves with the slogan “Science for a better life” and stock photos, but what caught my eye was the androgynous woman (?) with the child in the left frame of the ad. Is it intentional? Who made the ad, and what were they thinking when they chose the photo? Is the woman supposed to be an employee, or a benefactor of the company’s work? Did they discuss the ad at the company or the agency before it went out, because of this image? Or do others not see the androgyny? The ad intrigued me, and I also think the person in the photo is beautiful.”  -A.


Posted by on March 7th, 2009 at 04:00 pm

faces | 4 comments »

White Streak



“Androgynous”, originally uploaded by idle a while.


Posted by on March 7th, 2009 at 10:00 am

faces | 2 comments »

Profile: Dharma


Dharma

You can call me… Dharmashanti or just Dharma

I identify as… genderqueer, genderfluid, genderwere.

As far as third-person pronouns go, … she/her

I’m attracted to… women mostly, but also girlybois. Androgyny is hot.

When people talk about me, I want them to… be respectful, even if they disagree with me on something. And if they have a question, ask!

I want people to understand… that the gender expression I show today may not be the one I show tomorrow. I’m a shifter, a genderwere. Boi or grrl, butch or femme, top or bottom, the flavor changes with my mood.

About Dharma
I started out bio-male, but in 1993 (at age 26), transitioned to female with surgery in 1997. But I’m not the typical M2F tranny. Most of the time, I live as a butch dyke, but I’m genderfluid. Sometimes boi, sometimes grrl, and sometimes none of the above.


Posted by on March 7th, 2009 at 08:00 am

profiles | 2 comments »

PDX Meetup Tomorrow


Hey Everybody! I’m in sunny Portland, OR (no really — the sun actually came out today!).  A handful of us genderforkfolk are meeting up in town tomorrow for fancy chai (they have like three different kinds!) and good conversation.  Wanna come?

Genderfork Meetup
3PM, Saturday, March 7
Three Friends Coffee House
Portland, Oregon

Just show up and say hi! I’ll be the girl with the shaved head who looks like this…

stripes1


Posted by on March 6th, 2009 at 05:15 pm

faces | 1 comment »

Profile: Faka


Faka

You can call me… faka

I identify as… I am a girl with a boy inside, just take us quite well. :P

As far as third-person pronouns go, … I’m a girl! but thanks for thinking of my boy inside, that means that the need to leave to take a little air.

I’m attracted to… the ambiguity, androgyny, women, men, personality in general.

When people talk about me, I want them to… I am not interested in what people think of me if I am being well what I am. People who understand me, is worthwhile.

I want people to understand… I would like people to realize things are really that homophobia is extinguished, we all understand that love goes beyond as we are with us or go to bed. I just want people to be released to live and learn.

About faka
http://www.fotolog.com/tutuss_partys


Posted by on March 6th, 2009 at 04:00 pm

profiles | 2 comments »

Overalls



Me in overalls, Portland OR, originally uploaded by r3db0x.


Posted by on March 6th, 2009 at 10:00 am

faces | Comment »

SIR!


Someone wrote…

When I had long hair and no beard, clerks would call me ma’am and then, horrified at themselves, say “SIR! I, uh, meant SIR!!” This always amused me, and I’d explain gently, “You addressed me with respect. That’s all that matters.”

How do you react when people misidentify your gender?

And what are you thinking about gender right now?


Posted by on March 6th, 2009 at 08:00 am

your voice | 11 comments »

flowerchild



?????2, originally uploaded by `! SHUAIJIAN.


Posted by on March 5th, 2009 at 04:00 pm

faces | Comment »

Taking a Call



men in tights, originally uploaded by shelikesdior.


Posted by on March 5th, 2009 at 10:00 am

faces | Comment »

Profile: Rickie


You can call me… Rickie

I identify as… I used to refer to myself as lesbian. But that is not quite right as I am not attracted to the general lesbian population. I have no attraction to biological men so I am not straight in that aspect. But I am heart fully in love and partnered with a FTM and attracted 100% to FTMs. To look at me one would say “hard femme”. So whatever label I fall under then so be it.

I want people to understand… Regardless of what anyone may or may not say or think, I would like for them to understand that I am serious about my life with my partner. I will go through hell and high water to stand by his side to support him, our relationship and who we are.

About Rickie
I live with my partner Erik of 9 years. I have a 15-year-old intelligent,supportive and humorous daughter who lives with us. We live as an “all-American family” in a small community. I enjoy photography, and graphic arts.


Posted by on March 5th, 2009 at 08:00 am

profiles | Comment »

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