[Isadora]

As a Femme of whatever ID, do you feel animosity towards (entire groups) of Butch or Trans IDs?
No.

* Do you see yourself or ID as being at "war" with another Femme ID or complicit in a "war" between Butch or Trans IDs?
No. My issues are more about cultural appropriation of terms and have some issues with shifting paradigms that redefine language or “borrow” language. This, I believe, is a privilege of aging, to have cultural and multi-generational perspective and to also “own” my point of view. (So we add sexism and ageism to the umbrella.)

* Do you see any group of masculine ID's having an agenda to attack another group?
I see individual agendas and opinions but to attack a whole group, no. I also get really tired of those who “speak for” others in general or in specific.

* As a Femme, do you see a "war" between Femmes of different IDs? Why or why not?
Again, I see differing styles, personalities, opinions and agendas but war, no.


* Do you think that Femmes contribute in any way to the gender or identity formation of Butches or Transmen? How about contributing to the gender formation of Butches of Transmen who Femmes date?
I believe we all contribute to each other’s identity in some form or another. We are social animals, we learn from our experiences with others no matter what gender. We do not develop in a vacuum.

* Do you, as a Femme, have a feminine or masculine identity?
I have a “me” identity. My sash husband once said to me, “You confuse me. You have a very femme part of you and a very butch part of you.” At first I was confused then we had a whole discussion about personality and how society deems personality traits “feminine or masculine”. Like being blunt is a masculine trait. Huh?

* Do you even feel like there is a "Gender War"? Is that an external manifestation of the internal? Do you feel that it is a construct of the larger sexist and misogynist society at work here?
I do not think in terms of military or war to look at the manifestation of internal locus. I think that sexism and misogyny is part of the umbrella of ism’s that play a part in our society and therefore affect (effect? I always get those confused) every aspect of our lives. Do I lose sleep over it? No. I have worked to fight isms for over 35+ years. As Margaret Mead said, “Instead of being presented with stereotypes by age, sex, color, class, or religion , people must have the opportunity to learn that within each range, some people are loathsome and some are delightful. “ Part of “isms” is to lump people together by relying on stereotypes. If I have issues with people, I deal with the people and do not transfer those issues to an entire gender or community.