Rational Romantic Mystic Cynical Idealist

[kiya]

In other conversations about gender identity . . .

A day or two ago, montrealais wrote this post on the SDMB. It's worth reading. Presuming the hamsters are willing to give anyone access.

Somewhere in my head is something about mindfulness and identity. It comes out in strands of light, like a cat's cradle of meaning, and I don't know how to get it quite into words right. So I sketch, and see if it exists in the negative space.

Again I say: existence is dialogue. Before there were two things, is the phrase in some of the myths. And I said once or twice, if we were all the same, who would speak our Names?

That which is other, which is different, that brings out an ability to be aware of related things in myself. The context of the post that inspired this was a discussion about where gender identity comes from, and whether it's 'really' real, and a bunch of other stuff. And I see him saying that look, this is something that at least might lead people to think about this stuff, think about what it means.

Mindfulness. It's hard to be mindful of traits, of differences, of realities, that haven't been shown to differ. Things which are just the way things are become invisible, glossed over, they vanish. Difference -- creates the possibility of mindfulness. Mindfulness -- creates the possibility of dialogue. Dialogue -- reinforces existence.

If we were all the same, who would give us names?

Hello. I'm a writer. I'm a pagan; beyond pagan, I'm a recon; beyond recon, I'm Kemetic. I'm a woman. I'm a wife. I'm a partner. I'm in my twenties. I'm polyamorous. I'm heterosexual. I'm a one-of-each bisomethingal. I'm a submissive. I'm plural -- median, to be exact. I'm a mystic. I'm depressive. I'm a dropout. I'm a Yankee. I'm a sculptor. I'm a snarky, wiseass bitch. I'm a gamer. I'm a musician. I'm a singer. I'm a baseball fan. I'm a brewer. I'm a Discordian. I don't think in words most of the time. I hold in my mind gateways to whole universes. And many other things besides.

I am other. I am like you.

Let us be mindful together.

Comments

A thought and a question (not connected to each other)

[redbird]

At one point in The Left Hand of Darkness, Genly suggests that Gethenians might be less dualistic than most other peoples, because they don't experience gender as something that puts them permanently into one of two boxes, and Estraven says that zie thinks that duality doesn't depend on gender, because there is always self and other, I and thou.

I think I understand what you mean by plural, at least as much as I can understand it without experiencing it, but what does "median" mean in this context? (If you can explain it, or point to somewhere that would be helpful.)

[brooksmoses]

Again I say: existence is dialogue. Before there were two things, is the phrase in some of the myths.

And, in other creation stories, the early parts of the Genesis story are all about God creating things and then dividing them into two parts -- dividing the light from the darkness (verse 4), and then dividing the waters under the firmament from the waters above the firmament (verse 7), and then dividing the water from the dry land (verse 9).

Hello. I'm a writer. [...] And many other things besides.

And you missed one: You are drawn to the place where the light and the shadow meet, as I remember you telling me years ago.

It's the same story; it's all the same story. (And, of course, it's all different stories too.)

[juliansinger.livejournal.com]

I'm essentially asking the same question as Redbird. (Though given the icon and the writing style, and the meaning of median, at least according to the dictionary... you're one of the central folks?)

(You guys-- if the term "you guys" fits with you-- seem to have a very different way of approaching plurality than my partner does.)

[thastygliax.livejournal.com]

That which is other, which is different, that brings out an ability to be aware of related things in myself.

I seem to recall something from my single college philosophy class that even in the most rigidly existential worldview, the Other was essential to identity.

But in your case, you contain multitudes, so have acquired a legion of Others... ;-) Confuses the hell out of people at times, but we like you that way.

You forgot a few

[the-real-diana.livejournal.com]

You are beautiful, you are very kind to everyone, you helped a poor girl pass fizzics, you always listened when a friend needed you, you are loving and accepting of people the way they are, you are full of love, you have an independant spirit, you stand up for people in need and I am really happy that we found each other again!