2015. október 29., csütörtök

Old and New Language; Sexuality and Labels

I'm tired of all the threads basically giving the situation: Help! I've always been attracted to girls but I've [insert non-heteronormative situation here] what should I do?". I notice these people tend to freak out mostly on the thought of possibly changing labels. Society likes to use 'gay' and 'straight' as both exclusive terms, (meaning you can only be one at a time) and comprehensive terms (meaning if you are gay or straight that comprises your entire sexuality). It's really ridiculous and has to be stopped so I'm here to propose a new form of thinking - from old to new. The old language, basically what we have now, is just language we got through happenstance because the majority needed a way to quickly label the minority as other. This is where gay (originally homosexual) came from and straight is just the opposite of that - the so called norm. The old language was formed mostly unconsciously. The new language is simply a way to use words that are scientifically accurate instead of using divisive historical words that primarily served a negative cultural agenda. New language will obviously be formed consciously. Why do we need new language? A lot of the problem comes with identifying with exclusive terms. Say it is true that everyone is at least a little bi. If someone identifies as straight, they will take it to mean “I am exclusively attracted to members of the opposite sex”. 97% of their life say that will be the case, but when the time comes that they are attracted to a member of the same sex what will be their reaction? They identify as straight therefore they will either deny the experience (probably using a Freudian defense mechanism) or simply call into question their identity which is a confusing and frustrating experience. Both reactions are examples of unnecessary suffering that would have been avoided if they were not using the old language to identify in the first place. Fortunately we already have new language to describe human sexuality: Androphilia, Gynephilia, Ambiphilia or sexual attraction to masculinity, femininity, both. These words describe sexuality without identifying the individual therefore a man or a woman can be androphilic and not feel as though they are being automatically codified or judged. It is a way to describe sexuality without demarcating the person. Similarly since these words describe sexuality to masculine or feminine characteristics, the object of attraction does not necessarily have to belong to one side of the gender/sex divide. Therefore you can be gynephilic and attracted to a woman or transwoman. Similarly you can be gynephilic and attracted to a man so long as they have feminine features. Needless to say, these terms are not exclusive. Now I'm not suggesting these words are all we need. They are just a new addition to our diction. In fact people have already combined new and old. As time goes on we will continue to refine language to be more accurate and less divisive or at least that is my hope. Thoughts?

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