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Monday, June 10, 2019

Labels - A Question Coming






June is a month with a LABEL.  Many consider it to be LGBTQ pride month.  I have feeling about the "Pride" movement but first let's discuss labels.  

Labels are defined as identity categories. I wrote about labels in this post and very much hate the concept of attaching labels to people. I painfully remember hearing the label "Sissy" growing up and it was a label I endeavored to shed. 

Although labels are seldom productive, we have all dealt with them. For example, we all wore the label "Student" for many years. It worked and described perfectly our station in life at the time. Wife, husband, engineer, teacher all fulfill similar purposes. I met someone recently and when I ask what he did professionally, he told me he was a pastor.  Again an apt descriptor that helped me further understand the person.  

Most labels require qualifiers like, "high school" student or "football" athlete. Some are complete within themselves; e.g. entrepreneur is somewhat self contained and requires only minimal explanation.        

Many labels we wear with pride as an earned award. There are labels that occur with no action on our part; southerner, as born in the south. Labels are difficult to escape and like-it-or-not, happen.  

Pejorative labels cause harm and that is why we all push back. If the label sticks (pun intended) one can go through life with negative inner feelings. Growing up I had difficulty reading due to dyslexia and was called "retard". Just thinking about that today still hurts.      


Be forewarned, in tomorrow's post I am going to discuss cross dressing vs transgender. Oh no - not again. Yes, labels that are use in our community and I know many of you "Do not like labels - I do what I do". The upcoming post is not how others label us; it is about how you see yourself.  Especially appropriate during this pride month.   Stay tuned...










Pride 2019 - Embracing LGBTQ






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