Hello Everyone, I have been re-reading “Symptoms of Being Human”” These are a few parts that resonate with me a lot right now!  There are some vulgar words here, but it feels false to change what Jeff wrote.

• Jeff’s book, “The Symptoms of Being Human” & Meredith Russo’s book  “If I Was Your Girl” both helped me come to terms with how I see myself.  🙂

page 58 – Now Playing “There she Goes” by the La’s

Okay, Given the fact that even I am capable of making premature assumptions about someone’s gender. I will attempt to explain this with less than my usual dose of Gender Fluid Rage… The point here is that somebody’s gender expression — in this case, Lip Ring Girl’s goth-boy vibe– doesn’t necessarily indicate their gender identity. There are dudes who like to cross-dress (expression), but are still 100% comfortable being dudes (identity), and vice versa.  So, even if you had X-ray vision and could see through my jeans, what you’d see there – or not see – does not determine my gender identity.  Gender Identity is not external. *(neither is mine)

It isn’t dictated by your anatomy. It’s internal.  It’s something you feel, not something you see — and it can be way more complicated than just male or female.  Some people, like me, slide on a continuum between the two. *(absolutely!) Others, as I’ve learned via my pathological blog-reading obsession, feel like neither, or like a third, unnamed gender… (another possibility?)

We’re all taught from a young age that there are only two choices: pink or blue, Bratz or Power Rangers, cheer-leading or football. We see gender in two dimensions because that is what society has taught us from birth.  But are you ready for a shocking revelation?

SOCIETY NEEDS TO CHANGE    #genderfluid #crushing hard #lightsaberblue

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page 67 –   “Hey Solo, it’s your boyfriend.” He looks me up and down. “Oh, Sorry. Girlfriend?” Vickers and Cole laugh, and Sierra leans toward me.  “Seriously, it’s hard to tell,” she says, “Are you a dyke or are you a faggot?”

With heat rising in my cheeks, I ignore him and turn to Solo, “Can I talk to you for a minute?”

But Solo is frozen, glaring at Vickers.

“That’s not really it, babe” Sierra says to Vickers, her voice dripping with artificial sweetness, “What I want to know is” — she turns toward me, gestures at my crotch– “is there, like, a dick in there? Or a vag?”…

Slowly, I turn and look her in the eye, “That’s none of your business,” I say.  “And, while I am flattered by your interest, you’re not really my type.”…

~~~

page 235 Doctor Ann takes off her glasses and begins cleaning them. “For some people there’s a delay between experiencing  a stress trigger and having an anxiety reaction.  *(Bingo!) They get in  a car accident and they are fine afterward. But then, three days later, safe and secure in their cubicle at work (I hate these. ) No one understands, and if they are afraid (like everyone else), no one wants to talk about it… Let alone, touch me!)

BTW, words immediately following * are my own ideas. and I italicized certain words for emphasis. One of the things I really like about Jeff’s book is the whit, dry humor, and perspective.

So that is all I really wanted to share right now, hope you are all doing well… and spending time with people you love!  I am still looking for some….. sending out hugs, hope and peace – Iris