Originally Posted by Scots_On_The_Rocks (Post 848817)

I chose to answer only the following question as that based upon my answer to it, all other questions seem to be answered by proxy.

So here is the question I referenced and my answer.

1. How do you identify?

This is an interesting question.

The need within the queer community to quantify and validate our existence and identities into neat, organized categories, has caused us to label things to the point that we have become some long string of pronouns, adjectives and nouns. And oft we are touting off this diatribe of words to people who have stopped listening after the first two words of our identity, where we are striving through words to be seen as "different, unique, and new".

Sadly, language is both evolving and stagnating to the point that people still fall through the cracks between descriptors.

And that is where I fall into this.

There are no descriptors that I feel accurately describe me without my having fallen into the "alphabet soup" and come out covered in layer upon layer of adjectives.

So, oft, "for the sake of conversation", I momentarily don the name-tag of "male-identified butch", and then promptly take it off after introductions are made, because it is my actions that determine who I am, not a string of ill-fitting words.

And due to this aforementioned need to quantify and validate that is so rampant within the queer community, I refrain from throwing gender based monikers around when referring to others in that:

1. People tend to get rather defensive and aggressive around mis-usage of the "proper" descriptors of their choice.

2. I want to be as effectively respectful of others as I possibly can in the hopes that they in turn will respect my gender expression, gender identity, and gender preference.

Originally Posted by Martina (Post 1172637)

I am a woman. I am a lesbian. Happy to use the words gay and dyke also. I rarely use queer although of course it applies. I barely ID as femme, not because I have changed, but because people's understanding of what it means changed. But I ID'd as femme for 30 years. I don't know. I am a fourth generation educator. A lover of water and boats. Music geek (and snob). Maybe the most important -- a cat person.

Originally Posted by Martina (Post 1172641)

AND OSU (as in Ohio, not Oklahoma) fan!!

Originally Posted by BullDog (Post 1172632)

As stated in my profile, I am a Dominant Stone Butch Daddy. That's kind of a mouthful, so just plain old Butch will do in most circumstances. I am also a Dyke and Lesbian (despite rumors to the contrary, there is no contradiction with Lesbian and Stone Butch). Queer and gay are fine, but don't deeply resonate on a personal level for me like some other terms do. I've been regularly called a guy by former partners (both in good and bad ways, lol) and it does fit, but I'm not male or male identified. I am very proud of my female masculinity - my butchness. Mostly I'm just goofy old Me.

Originally Posted by Martina (Post 1172641)

AND OSU (as in Ohio, not Oklahoma) fan!!

Originally Posted by DapperButch (Post 1172733)

I have not heard this, but it is unfortunate to think that people believe this. One choosing to not be touched/not be touched in certain ways, and who find their sexual pleasure comes from pleasing their partner, can still identify as women. Deriving your sexual pleasure from pleasing someone else does not mean you are not a woman...women loving women...the most basic drilled down definition of lesbian, no?