Identities for the Young?

By Leca
@lecanis (16647)
Murfreesboro, Tennessee
September 6, 2015 5:17pm CST
The LGBT+ community has been an ever-evolving one, with new ideas, terminology, and priorities as it continues to grow. Concepts of gender, sex, attraction, and expression are tossed around in academia, in activism, and in everyday life. As a result, there's always an up-and-coming group of young people with new ideas and ways of identifying, but what about those of us who are older and find a word used by the younger generation just absolutely perfect for our own purposes? For example, I've picked up using the term "genderqueer" in the past few years, because it works quite well for my own mix of dysphoria and lack of interest in simply trading one set of gender expectations for another. The question is: do you find older people co-opting newer labels and identities distasteful or immature, or do you think that generational gaps within the LGBT+ community shouldn't stop anyone from using whatever label they like?
1 person likes this
1 response
Oshy
@TiarasOceanView (70022)
• United States
7 Sep 15
Hi Lecanis. I think that anyone should be able to pick whatever term suits them to identify with. It is the way of the world now there are so many to choose from. I dont think old or young should dictate what a person chooses.
1 person likes this
Leca
@lecanis (16647)
• Murfreesboro, Tennessee
7 Sep 15
It's true, there really are a lot these days! I think the proliferation of labels can get confusing at times, but that feeling of "other people experience this too!" that can come with finding the right label is pretty amazing. I think being able to consider new ideas as you grow older is important too, I just feel a little caught between generations within the community right now.
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Oshy
@TiarasOceanView (70022)
• United States
7 Sep 15
@lecanis And I am an elder haha
Leca
@lecanis (16647)
• Murfreesboro, Tennessee
7 Sep 15
@TiarasOceanView That helps! I feel validated! I do see some interesting splits between my older and younger groups of friends on those issues though. I attend college, but I'm 35, and it's interesting to see how much has changed since I was a teenager in terms of how people are identifying.
1 person likes this