Mostly in the gender/sexuality areas — everything from femme boi to genderqueer to demisexual to aromantic, and it’s been a bit tougher than I had initially anticipated, but I’m trying to remain as neutral and respectful as possible to all perspectives. I don’t want to write something that is mocking or alienating to anyone, because that’s been done and done again. We know you can make fun of people, it’s not interesting or new.

And I know that these identities — even if they change frequently or don’t last a long time — are very important to people. I’ve been trying to talk to people who identified as trans* and now no longer do, including the person who made the Die Cis Scum video on YouTube that became semi-viral. I want to know the processes behind that and how the blogging platform factors in. (If any of you know of anyone who fits this criteria and would be willing to be interviewed [anonymously, of course, if they choose], please pass their name along.)

One thing I am encountering a lot, though, that I don’t quite understand, is people (and there are so many) whose bios on their blogs are literally just a list of identities, and nothing else. Something along the lines of

• Kai
• 22
• White-passing 
• Genderescent
• Demisexual
• Panromantic
• Neuro Atypical
• Allistic
• Anglophone privilege
• Western privilege
• Middle-class
• Femme

And the list will go on. Rarely, they will include an anecdotal noun or two about what the person actually does for work or fun in life (student, artist, teacher, etc), but it is usually negligible compared to the overwhelming amount of social, gender, sexual, etc markers that they use to describe themselves as a person.

What I wonder, really, is why these things are given such a premium over the things you do and create with your life. It seems specific to Tumblr, as I know hardly anyone outside of this website who put their sexuality or mental illnesses or gender as the first thing in their bio. There seems a simultaneous desire here to be treated “like anyone else” and also to be as separate and specifically-labeled as possible, and it’s something I’m having a hard time reconciling. 

Oh, Tumblr, you sweet, mysterious wizard-prince. I’ll never understand you.

1. theyeasayer likes this
2. becapricious reblogged this from faganchelsea and added:

   “What I wonder, really, is why these things are given such a premium over the things you do and create with your...

3. oodalolly said: Re: your research… You mention Tumblr as the only space you know quite like this, but when you and I were 14-16, this was occurring on LiveJournal. And for a brief time, Xanga. I think it’s just easy-to-use online journaling spaces in general.
4. kandles said: I DON’T KNOW WHAT MOST OF THOSE WORDS MEAN
5. quietontheinside likes this
6. jennypayne likes this
7. clearlyalabouroflove said: This is such a good idea for a written piece. Looking forward to reading it :)
8. clearlyalabouroflove likes this
9. faganchelsea posted this