Bonus: Explain yourself?
The main cast (and a couple extras) of But I’m A Cat Person, answering the question “what term(s) would you use to describe your sexuality/gender?”
Larger version with flags on Deviantart | on Tumblr
I wanted to showcase how a lot of us have similar identities but call them different things, for different reasons. And your personal preference doesn’t invalidate anyone else’s. A rainbow is an infinite spectrum.
Also — there’s a lot of pressure in certain circles to have your identity completely figured out and precisely defined. The truth is, it’s okay to not be sure! You’re allowed to talk about the ambiguities. Or, if you don’t feel like talking about it, you don’t owe anybody an explanation.
There’s no rule that you have to pick a specific set of flag-printed merch before you’re allowed to feel pride.
Bianca: Bisexual. I’m attracted to two kinds of people: the kind I can bring home to my family, and the kind I can’t.
Bennett: I’m — I’m gay, but don’t think about that! Focus on how patriotic and religious I am! That’s what all my friends do!
Sharon: Lesbians!
Connie: The old kind. We had to get married in Canada!
Dr. Gaillard: Straight. Trans woman. It took me a long time to figure out, but in the end, it was that simple.
Emma: Pansexual! I like how broad it sounds. Plus, the flag is pretty.
Miranda: Still working that out. On my own, thank you very much.
Jany: Um — Lesbian. Trying very hard to be “the good kind” of lesbian. But lately I’ve been thinking . . . maybe we’re all the good kind.
Rosen: Well . . . I do not think about gender when I fall in love . . . But I’m more interested in working a dig site than in arranging dates. Once, an American colleague called me “panning-sexual.”
Cohen: Well, I’m not too old to come out, but I am too old to learn all the kids’ hip new terms. So “bisexual” it is.
Timothy: I don’t have one favorite term. Bigender? Genderfluid? Part-time trans? Extra-method drag queen? As long as people respect me, I’m not that worried about the words.
Sparrow: Gay! I’m also fine with lesbian, sapphic, and queer. But I like how “gay” sounds the most casual.
Dotan: I am happy with bi or pan, and see no need to choose!
Fox: Still figuring out if I’m that, or gay. Either way, I’m a trans boy!
Personally, just call me a human and don’t slap any labels on me.
Frankly, I find labels unnecessarily excluding and unnecessarily defining. We do what we do, and we love who we love. It’s that simple.
The thing is, it’s really easy to feel “wrong” or “different” or even “excluded” when you only see one representation of a life. Labels – like asexual and aromantic, or musician, or biker – told me that there was a community for me, that understood my interests and passions. I really do wish that it could be that simple, but in a world where it can often feel like I am being pushed toward a certain set of behaviors, it’s nice to point to those (self-chosen) labels and say “See! It’s not just me”
Don’t worry about trying to convince Phule – they have a compulsion to announce that labels are useless every time the subject comes up, in any way. One more polite explanation isn’t going to help any more than the last bunch did.
Words bad! Language evil! No talk!
Was the bi flag on the left three intentional?
The middle six are the Pride rainbow, and the last three are from the trans flag…draw your own conclusions!
Amazing