Butch Femme Planet - View Single Post - What does "woman" mean in a post-gender world?

Jett · 05-26-2010, 05:08 PM

Do you use the term "woman" as part of your identity?

I would look at it as more as something I am, but a huge and important part of my internal identity yes.

What does it mean to you to use/not use the term "woman?"

It means I'm acknowledging for myself women's ability to be, feel and do anything. Acknowledging and standing beside and with what I see as a huge beautiful force of nature that's proven it's strength and power despite and against being cast in the role of weak underdog from day one.

Does tension/discomfort exist for you in using the term "woman" together with butch, femme, queer, or any of your other identity definers? If so, why?

Nope, it has, but it doesn't for me now. As far as any discomfort it came more from outside comments about what it means to be a butch, a woman, a women's place, woman-man jokes and stereotyping of it.

If you do not use the term "woman" how did you come to the decision not to?

I didn't for a while, this is partially why. When I didn't acknowledge it, when it made me flinch I assumed it was because it didn't fit me and was wrong... but letting go proved impossible and I had to step back and examine why it made me flinch instead of just conveniently avoiding the flinch by not claiming it... if I'm making sense.

In the end, some life experiences (as a female as a woman as a butch) that I harbored a lot of ouch and anger over I had turned inward on myself, and the further I got from woman in my head the more secure I felt... more in control and untouchable (not physically) in that sense. I've always been a strong ass peep who nothing ever touched me, but sometimes things subtly change you even when you're busy being a strong ass peep about it. Weird I know. I don't think I can explain it adequately without divulging private stuff I'm not going to do here.

How is "woman" different from "female" (and I don't mean in the academic sense, but in the lived experience sense).

Female is something you're born to... women is something you grow into, a sense of self as being part of a diverse sisterhood and history struggles, victories and losses alike.

What does "woman" mean?

Aside from gender of the female persuasion... for me a person who acknowledges and feels the word's meaning in its past and present internally and a sort of bond with those things plus...

What does "woman" not mean?

It does not mean, weak, submissive, receptacle, possession, second class or even feminine in many cases as we know here.

05-26-2010, 05:08 PM	#11
Jett Member How Do You Identify?: Hardcore bullheaded grown-ass Tomboy Preferred Pronoun?: She Relationship Status: she loves my shaggy hair Join Date: Nov 2009 Location: The backroom of a night cafe plotting world domination Posts: 1,028 My Photo Gallery Thanks: 2,054 Thanked 3,299 Times in 568 Posts Rep Power: 21474852	Do you use the term "woman" as part of your identity? I would look at it as more as something I am, but a huge and important part of my internal identity yes. What does it mean to you to use/not use the term "woman?" It means I'm acknowledging for myself women's ability to be, feel and do anything. Acknowledging and standing beside and with what I see as a huge beautiful force of nature that's proven it's strength and power despite and against being cast in the role of weak underdog from day one. Does tension/discomfort exist for you in using the term "woman" together with butch, femme, queer, or any of your other identity definers? If so, why? Nope, it has, but it doesn't for me now. As far as any discomfort it came more from outside comments about what it means to be a butch, a woman, a women's place, woman-man jokes and stereotyping of it. If you do not use the term "woman" how did you come to the decision not to? I didn't for a while, this is partially why. When I didn't acknowledge it, when it made me flinch I assumed it was because it didn't fit me and was wrong... but letting go proved impossible and I had to step back and examine why it made me flinch instead of just conveniently avoiding the flinch by not claiming it... if I'm making sense. In the end, some life experiences (as a female as a woman as a butch) that I harbored a lot of ouch and anger over I had turned inward on myself, and the further I got from woman in my head the more secure I felt... more in control and untouchable (not physically) in that sense. I've always been a strong ass peep who nothing ever touched me, but sometimes things subtly change you even when you're busy being a strong ass peep about it. Weird I know. I don't think I can explain it adequately without divulging private stuff I'm not going to do here. How is "woman" different from "female" (and I don't mean in the academic sense, but in the lived experience sense). Female is something you're born to... women is something you grow into, a sense of self as being part of a diverse sisterhood and history struggles, victories and losses alike. What does "woman" mean? Aside from gender of the female persuasion... for me a person who acknowledges and feels the word's meaning in its past and present internally and a sort of bond with those things plus... What does "woman" not mean? It does not mean, weak, submissive, receptacle, possession, second class or even feminine in many cases as we know here. __________________ .......... In the depth of winter I finally learned that there was in me an invincible summer. ~Albert Camus Last edited by Jett; 05-26-2010 at 05:28 PM. Reason: apparently I'm OCD about editing...