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The term genderbender

Discussion in 'Chit Chat' started by SFSorrow, Feb 28, 2013.

  1. SFSorrow

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    Anyone got any thoughts on why isn't term genderbender isn't used more often as a positive identity by people who fit outside of the gender binary? I asked a similar question in a thread a while ago but would like more opinions. Is it considered offensive in any way? Personally I rather like it, as (to quote myself) "it implies flexibility without defining where you sit on the spectrum, but isn't too clinical sounding either. And you don't need to explain to people what it means." It seems a word with a lot of flexibility and ambiguity.

    Any contrary views?
     
  2. Rivers

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    I don't find the term offensive. The cosplay community uses it freely.
     
  3. June Cleaver

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    It makes me think of a X-File episode! LOL It is not offensive to me. I don't think I have heard anyone use it before. June
     
  4. I certainly don't think it's offensive and if someone were to use it, more power to them.

    But I wouldn't. And the reason why is because the word "genderbender" makes it sounds like it's an action I'm doing rather than an aspect of who I am. That's why I use queer or genderqueer because it's an adjective and not a noun.
     
  5. Pret Allez

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    I don't think there's anything wrong with it, although I prefer to roll my gender non-conformity into one term: queer.
     
  6. Naren

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    I've heard genderfluid used more by actual non-binary-gendered people. I don't really have a problem with it. Kinda sounds like a superhero lol.
     
  7. SFSorrow

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    Thanks for the thoughts. As regards it sounding like it's an action rather than an intrinsic part of yourself, I can see your point of view but if it's true that all gender is performance as gender is culturally defined then technically it is something that you do. I'm not sure if I've put that very well, I hope you get my meaning, if not I can try to clarify.

    When I first heard the word ambisexual I liked it because I thought it meant you were ambiguous rather than being a synonym of bisexual, I liked the lack of definition. I also sometimes feel like the profusion of terms might be confusing and give the impression that the identities are properly defined and discrete, whereas it's my impression that people are less tidy than that. I guess it's a philosohpical preference I have, that people shouldn't put themselves in boxes.

    I know queer is supposed to fulfil that function but it often needs to be explained to people, whereas most people have heard the term genderbender. I guess one potential problem with it is that it also encompasses people like David Bowie who are just doing it for a performance, which takes it back to the point made before. I'm sort of rambling, I think about these kind of questions a lot, probably too much.