WHAT THE “MAJORITY-MAN (Here Pointedly Addressing Straight-Male Reviewers)” LEARNS ‘O’ THE “ＱUILTTSBADGE-PLUS” GENERATION CAN HELP HIMSELF IN WAYS HE NE’‘ER CONJECTURED – And OUT ‘O’ MY OWN INTERACTION(S) With MY SURROGATE SON’S AGE-PEERS THROUGHOUT THIS LATEST SAN FRANCISCO PRIDE WEEKEND EMERGES THE FACT THE LAST DAYS ‘O’ ALTERNATIVE LIFESTYLE(S) AWARENESS MONTH ‘ROUND THE GLOBE BE OPPORTUNITY FOR SOCIAL EDUCATION ON UPDATING, ADOPTING And UNDERSTANDING A MORE PRACTICALLY MNEMONIC And EUPHONIC ACRONYM REFLECTIVE ‘O’ COMMUNITY DIVERSITY …

“Homosexuality (and thereby ‘Homosexual[s]’)” is outdated terminology to describe a Sexual Orientation in which a person feels physically and emotionally attracted to people ‘o’ the same Gender. Historically, ‘t’‘was a term used to Pathologize Gay and Lesbian People(s) by Homophobes – themselves Pathologically Afflicted People(s), ergō in a sense “the Lunatics have been running the Asylum” – Homophobia being the Irrational Fear and Hatred ‘o’ Queer, Gay and Lesbian People(s). Homophobia can also impact the lives of Bisexual, Pansexual, Transgender(ed), Intersex(ed) and Asexual People(s).

By potentially extreme extension, the very definition ‘o’ Homophobia maybe taken to encompass ANY Disapproval ‘o’ QUILTTSBADGE+ (see Further Below) People(s) at all, regardless of motive(s). Homophobia DOES include Prejudice, Discrimination, Harassment, and Acts-‘o’-Violence brought on by Fear and Hatred. It occurs on Personal, Institutional, and Societal levels. Homophobia is closely linked with Transphobia (the Fear and / or Hatred of Transgender[ed] People[s] or people[s] who do not meet Society’s Gender-Rôle expectations) and Biphobia (Fear and / or Hatred ‘o’ people who are Bisexual, Pansexual, Omnisexual, or Nonmonosexual).

Back in The Stone Age(s), “Gay” just referred to anyone who was attracted to people ‘o’ the same Sex or who manifested a Nonnormative Gender-Presentation or Identity, but nowadays things have gotten … somewhat complicated. It seems therebe an Identity for well nigh e’‘erything, and the marvelous Global Community ‘o’ Same-Sex-Loving and Gender-Nonconforming individuals has spiraled into a gloriously confusing rainbow ‘o’ Identities and Communities. As a matter of fact, there are probably more Identities in The Queer Community now than there are Colours in The Rainbow.

But if The Gay-Rights Movement ‘o’ just Yesterday seemed to revolve around Same-Sex Marriage, this Next Wave Generation is seeking something more radical – an upending ‘o’ Gender-Rôles beyond The Binary ‘o’ Male / Female. The core question isn’t whom they love, but who they are – that is, Identity as distinct from Sexual Orientation.

But what to call this Movement ? Whereas “Gay-and-Lesbian” was once used to lump together various Sexual Minorities – and more recently “LGBTQIA+” to include Bisexual(s), Transgender(s), Queer(s), Intersex(ed), and Asexual(s) as well as “Other(s)” viś-à-viś the symbol-‘o’-addition – but The New Vanguard ‘o’ Postmodern Sexual Revolution seeks a broader, more inclusive, and yet practical abbreviation.

Part ‘o’ the solution has been addition ‘o’ yet more letters, so in recent years the Post-Post-Post-Gay-Rights Banner has gotten significantly longer and, indeed, increasingly unwieldy. Per SHANE L WINDMEYER MS-Ed (Master’s degree in Higher Education and Student Affairs [Visit <www.netrootsnation.org/profile/shane-windemeyer/>]), a Founder ‘o’ CAMPUS PRIDE (C[ondīta] est 2001—), a National Student Advocacy Group based in Charlotte, North Carolina : “Youth Today do not Define themselves on the Spectrum ‘o’ ‘LGBTQIA+’.”

Thus we need a euphonically practical Μνήμη (“Mnḗmē”) so we are more Inclusive in Word as well as Deed. Words are important. Were they not, we’d already have The ERA (Equal Rights Amendment [Introduced Circa 1923 – mine own Late-and-Sainted Wombmatrón’s Birthyear]; since only All MEN are Created Equal according to The Declaration-‘o’-Independence).

An emerging rubric is “QUILTTSBADGE+,” which stands for different things, depending on whom you ask :

“ＱUILṮTSḆĀDGE+ (Queer[s] / Questioning, Unidentified[s], Intersex[ed], Lesbian[s], Transgender[ed] / Trans*[’] / Trans[itioning], Transsexual[s], Bisexual[s] / Bigender[ed], Asexual[s] / Agender[ed] / Aromantic[s] / Ally[s], Demisexual[s], Gay[s], Et cetera, ‘Plus’ – or ‘Positive [as-in Attitude-‘o’-Acceptance]’ – or simply ‘P[ee],’ Acknowledging Pansexuality, Pangenderism, Polygenderism, and Polyamory [but most certainly NOT Pædophilia and / or Pædopornosexuality])” is easy to Recognize and could become the basis of a great Inclusive Logo (obviously a Quilted Badge [whether an Onscreen-Graphic or an Accessory-For-Wear]); an “Umbrella-Term” that is used to refer to The Community as a whole.

QUILTTSBADGE+ intentionally includes and Visibilizes the multiplicity ‘o’ Communities Under The Rainbow, but remember that you CAN Ask someone which Pronoun(s) they prefer, and you should Respect them by employing those Pronouns – or none whatsoe’‘er should they prefer to be simply Acknowledged as Nonnormative but remain an “Unidentified.” Pronouns are linguistic tools used to refer to someone in The Third Person. Examples are they / them / theirs, she / her / hers, he / him / his, and now The Third-Gendered “Neuter” or Nongendered “ƶe” / “hir” / “hirs.” In The Ænglish and some other languages, pronouns have been tied to Gender and are a common site ‘o’ Misgendering (attributing a Gender to someone that is Incorrect).

In anticipation ‘o’ Reflexive Response : “Still sounds like ‘Alphabet Soup.’ Aren’t we getting a little ridiculous ?”

Recognizing that there are different kinds of People is hardly ridiculous. Many of these finally Recognized People(s) have been Physically Harmed because Uneducated people think they’re “Freaks.” Recognizing the Continuum-‘o’-Sexuality is an important step in Normalization and Acceptance. Our Phobic Patriarchal Pædophocratic Prison-Rape Anticulture is nowhere near there yet, and it is important that we help get it there via Mass-Inducement ‘o’ Cultural Humility – an approach to Engagement across Differences that Acknowledges Systems-‘o’-Oppression and embodies the following Key Practices :

(1.) a Lifelong Commitment to Self-Evaluation and Self-Critique;

(2.) a desire to fix Power Imbalances where none ought to exist;

and (3.) aspiring to Develop Partnerships with People(s) and Groups who Advocate for Others on a Systemic Level

(as Conceptualized per mine own Fellow Greater Bay Area Metroplex Regional Resident PÆDIATRICIAN D[OCTO]R MELANIE-MARIE TERVALON [Visit <http://melanietervalon.com/>], MD [Medicinæ Doctor], MPH [Master-‘o’-Public Health] in-tandem with a Black Afrikan-American Founding Faculty Member and Assistant Adjunct Professor at The Betty Irene Moore School ‘o’ Nursing at UC Davis [Cest 1905—], PÆDIATRICIAN DR JANN MURRAY-GARCÍA [Visit <http://www.ucdmc.ucdavis.edu/nursing/ourteam/faculty/Murray-Garcia_bio.html>], MD, MPH, C[irc]a 1998).

“But why is it e’‘en important at’‘tall to change the acronym from the Currently Disseminated LGBTQIA+ ?”

The terminology when referring to QUILTTSBADGE+ Issues has progressed variously ô’‘ēr History. During The Nineteen-Seventies, “Gay Rights” was the preferred terminology. Shortly thereafter, in The Early Nineteen-Eighties, the term became “GaL (Gay-and-Lesbian)-Rights.” The terminology eventually became “LGBTQIA+ Rights,” which is the most recent term prior to this Emergent Social Resolution. As time passes, Cultural Mōrēs change. This is oft reflected in language. Once, referring to all Nonstraight Women as Lesbians was relevant and inclusive. LGBTQIA+ used to suffice, but that, too, has changed as individuals learn new things about their Identity and require new language. As anyone reviewing this Column likely strives for Inclusion and Equality, they should also employ language that reflects such Goals and Values.

Amid all this Societal flux you’ve likely learned ‘bout LAVERNE COX (Active 2000—ATDE) and CAITLYN-MARIE JENNER (born BRUCE JENNER, 1949—; Active 1970—ATDE; Gold Medal Olympian Athlete [Decathlon] : 1975 [Pan-American Games] & 1976 [Olympic Games]) – and are Aware The SCOTUS (Supreme Court ‘O’ The United States; Cest 1789—) Decision but half-a-decade gone made All Marriages Equal.

‘T’‘is time to learn more ‘bout The OTHER Groups that composite The Queer Community.

Let us start with the two fundamental building blocks. In order to understand different types ‘o’ Sexualities and some ‘o’ the major groups on The Gender Spectrum, you need to know what Gender and Sexuality are.

~ GENDER ~

Gender : Presentation ‘o’ certain Traits. Traditional examples would include dresses, cosmetics, and “Feminine” effects for Female-Presenting, and more aggressive, “Mächō (‘Male Animal’) / Manly / Masculine” effects for Male-Presenting. This is not inherently tied to one’s genitalia and is a very pervasive Social Construct. Such being established, there are Three Scientifically Substantiated Extant Genders and Five Scientifically Substantiated Extant Sexes (sic, see “I — ‘I’ is for ‘Intersex(ed)’,” Further Below).

Gender Identity : A sense of one’s Self as Woman, Man, Trans*(itioning, Gender[ed], or Sexual), Genderqueer (a Person whose Gender-Identity and / or Gender-Expression falls outside the dominant Societal Norm[s] for their Assigned Sex [a Medically Constructed Categorization, Sex is oft Assigned based on Appearance ‘o’ the genitalia, either At-Birth or nowadays In-Ultrasound], is beyond Gender[s], or is some combination thereof; Gender-Expression being how one Expresses oneself, in terms ‘o’ Dress and / or Behaviours – Society, and people comprising Society, Characterizing these Expressions as “Masculine,” “Feminine” or “Androgynous” – whereas Individuals may Embody their Gender[s] in a multitude of ways and have terms beyond these to name their Gender-Expression[s]), or some Other Identity, which may or may not correspond with the Sex and / or Gender one is Assigned At-Birth.

Exemplōrum grātiā :

Cisgender(ed) : Someone who Identifies with the Gender they were Assigned at Birth. A Gender Identity, or performance in a Gender Rôle, that Society deems to match the person’s Assigned Sex At-Birth. The prefix “Cis-” means “on-this-side-of” or “not-across.” A term used to call attention to the Privilege-‘o’-People(s) who are not Transgender(ed); “Privilege” being a set ‘o’ Unearned Benefits given to people who fit into a specific Social Group. The Observation has roots in The Black Afrikan-American Panafrikanist Sociologist, Historian, Civil Rights Activist, and Author WILLIAM EDWARD BURGHARDT “WEB” DU BOIS’ (b[irthed] 1868—d[ecedent] 1963) Work on “Psychological Wage” and White People’s feelings ‘o’ Superiority ô’‘ēr Black People(s). The White European-American Feminist Scholar and Antiracism Activist PEGGY McINTOSH (Senior Research Associate ‘o’ The Wellesley Centers For Women [Cest 1995—], born MARGARET VANCE MEANS, 1934—), Founder ‘o’ The National SEED (Seeking Educational Equity and Diversity) Project on Inclusive Curriculum (see <https://www.wcwonline.org/proj/seed/cnelson.pdf>), Wrote about Privilege as a White Woman and Developed an Inventory ‘o’ Unearned Privileges that she Experienced in Daily Life because ‘o’ her Whiteness.

Cissexism / Genderism : Is the Belief that there are, and should be, only two Genders and that one’s Gender, or most aspects of it, are inevitably tied to Assigned Sex. In a Genderist / Cissexist Construct, Cisgender People(s) are The Dominant / Agent Group and Trans* / Gender Nonconforming People(s) are The Oppressed / Target Group(s).

Gender Fluid(ity) : Being Fluid-In-Motion between two or more Genders. A GF (Gender-Fluid)-Person is an individual whose Gender-Identification and Presentation shifts, whether within or outside ‘o’ Societal, Gender-Based Expectations – ie, when someone Identifies as different Genders, or no Gender, or many Genders, at different times.

~ SEXUALITY ~

Sexuality : Sexual Attraction to Others. This is the Preference or Sexual Feelings towards Another, the components ‘o’ a person that include their Biological Sex, Sexual Orientation, Gender-Identity, Sexual Practices, etc(etera).

Exemplōrum grātiīs :

Heterosexuality : A Sexual Orientation in which a person feels Physically and Emotionally Attracted to people ‘o’ a Gender other than their own, Heterosexism manifesting as the Assumption that all people are or should be Heterosexual. Heterosexism Excludes the Needs, Concerns, and Life Experiences ‘o’ Queer, Lesbian, Gay, and Bisexual People(s) while it gives advantages to Heterosexual People(s). ‘T’‘is oft a subtle form of Oppression, which reinforces Realities ‘o’ Silence and Invisibility.

Allosexuality : A Sexual Orientation generally characterized by feeling Sexual Attraction or a desire for Partnered Sexuality, Allosexism manifesting as the System-‘o’-Discrimination and Exclusion that Oppresses Asexual People(s).

Monosexuality : People who have Romantic, Sexual, or Affectional Desire(s) for one Gender only; Heterosexuality and Homosexuality being the most well-known forms of Monosexuality, Monosexism manifesting as the Belief in and Systematic Privileging of Monosexuality as superior, and the Systematic Oppression o’ ‘Nonmonosexuality.

Skoliosexuality : Manifest(s) when one is Attracted to Noncisgender(ed) People(s). This Includes Trans’, Gender-Fluid, Ανδρογυνησ (“Androgunês [‘Androgynous’];” an Androgyne being a Person with both Masculine and Feminine Physical Traits; Note that while Genderqueer in terms ‘o’ Presentation [ie atypical], Androgyny is NOT a Sexual-Orientation [albeit it CAN be a Self-Identifier]), and Other Genderqueer People(s).

————————————————————————

‘T’‘is important to retain as well that while Gender and Sexuality are oft discussed in similar conversations, they are different things. Identifying as one Gender doth not say anything about Sexual Preference(s). While somewhat ‘o’ an obtuse analogy, one way I’ve heard it described is like mismatching socks – putting one sock on one foot does not automatically mean you have to put the same one on your other foot.

I myself have found “The Gender-Bread Person” to be a very useful tool In-provision ‘o’ both Education and Intervention(s) to Individuals and Groups in The Community.

If ye appreciate The Genderbread Person then you may go so far as to enjoy the book entitled “A GUIDE TO GENDER (SECOND EDITION) : THE SOCIAL JUSTICE ADVOCATE’S HANDBOOK (uncopyrighted 2016),” By Social Critic SAM KILLERMANN (Visit <http://www.samuelkillermann.com/>), as it’s a couple hundred pages ‘o’ Awareness-Enhancement. Hērebe Preview thereof – the following Link presenting an additional Resource that will help clarify any emerging questions you may have regarding Gender and Sexuality :

<http://itspronouncedmetrosexual.com/2012/03/the-genderbread-person-v2-0/#sthash.40zyeIF0.dpuf>.

So What, precisely, doth QQUILTTTTSBBAAAADGE+ (pronounced “ＱWILTƵBADGƵH-Plus;” the vocally absorbed “E” for “et cetera” being implicative ‘o’ many Other Identities by implicative extension which be otherwise beyond practical acronymous inclusion, and The Spoken “Addition-Sign” announcing Acceptance thereof,” or “ＱWILTƵBADGƵH-Positive [enunciāted ‘KEE-WILTƵ-BADGƵH-Positive’]” – vocally foreshortened to “ＱUILTTSBADGE-P [‘‘KWILTƵ-BADGƵH-Pee’s’ in the plurality],” the “P[ee]” appended per Identity-Acknowledgement ‘o’ Pansexuals [as well as Pangendered, Polygendered and Polyamorous Peoples] – understandably diminutized into “ＱUILṮTSḆĀDGE-PLUSSER[’s]” or “QUILTTSBADGE-Positive[s]”) stand for ?

Let us assume you’ve seen The News (or at the very least, your very rainbow-coloured FaceBook Feed), but are a little embarrassed to admit that while you (presumably) Support The QUILTTSBADGE+ Community, you don’t coherently comprehend what all the letters stand for. Dread-Noaught ! This helpful Guide shall provideth thyself the (very very) Basics ‘o’ different Identities and what they mean. To reiterate in-format for ready retention :

QQ – is for Queer(s) / Questioning (Open-yet-Indeterminate and mayhaps ultimately Normative [ie Heterosexually Cisgendered]),
U – is for Unidentified(s) : Uncloseted (ie “Outed [Voluntarily or otherwise]”) as Knowingly Nonormative but Private (and presumably Preferentially so) per Personal Preference(s),
I – is for Intersex(ed [see Introductory Discussion per The Third Gender and The Five Sexes Further Below]),
L – is for Lesbian(s),
TTT* – is for Transgender(ed), Transitioning (Individuals-In-Processing), and also simply Trans*(’ [the asterisk Indicative-‘o’-Option to Append Any Appropriate Label, ie “Trans*man”]),
TS – is for Transexual(s)
BB – is for Bisexual(s) / Bigender(ed),
AAAA – that long “Ā” stands for “Ally (a Friend-‘o’-The Cause[s])” or “Asexual (characterized by the Absence ‘o’ Sexual Attraction[s]),” Agender(ed), and / or Aromantic Persons,
D – is for Demisexual(s),
G – is for Gay(s),
E – is for Et cetera, as it goes on and on,
+ – is both for emphasis ‘o’ a Positive Attitudinal Stance and the pronounced provision ‘o’ a “P” In-Acknowledgement ‘o’ Pansexual(s), Pangender(s), Polygender(s) and The Polyamorous (but NEVER Pædophile[s] or Pædopornosexual[s] – the very evasion ‘o’ such potential ambiguation[s] with Said Pathologies necessitating employment ‘o’ the “Plus” symbol in-place ‘o’ the all-too-easily misconstrued letter “P”).

Many ‘o’ the terms and Definitions below are e’‘er-evolving and changing and oft mean different things to different people. They are provided as a starting point for discussion and understanding.

Q — “Queer(s)” or “Questioning (Person[s]);” the “Q” standeth for both or either.

Q1 is for “Queer(s)” : It being à propos to acronymously prioritize Queer as, in The Postmodern Lexicon, Queer functions as both an all-inclusive “umbrella-term” and as a specific Identity – which embraces a variety of Sexual Preferences, Orientations and Habits ‘o’ those who do not adhere to The Heterosexual and Cisgender(ed) Majority. The term Queer includes, but is no’ exclusive to Lesbians, Gay Men, Bisexuals, Transpeople(s), and Intersex(ed) Persons.

“Queer” is a subversive word which hath garnered a seductive mystique all-its-own. Understand it as analogous to an eighty-five percent Dark Chocolate Confection – ‘t’‘is complex in flavour(s) and while some people find it bitter, others find it delectable.

“Queer” is a word with a complicated Modern History – Traditionally, Said Term is derogatory and hurtful, and remained so through The Nineteen-Eighties (when dinosaurs roamed The Earth and Ƶebra Print was taken seriously), Historically being hurled as an epithet / slur against People(s) whose Gender, Gender-Expression and / or Sexuality doth no’ conform to Dominant Expectations when it was used in a defiant chant originated by Gay Rights Activists ô’‘ēr a quarter-century agone to confront bigotry, and hijacked by Hatemongers doubling down on Discrimination based on Sexual Orientation and Gender-Identity – before it was appropriated by LGBTQIA+ Rights Activists in The Nineteen-Nineties and hath currently been Reclaimed when referring to The QUILTTSBADGE+ Community as a whole. Thus-Targeted People(s) have Reclaimed the word Queer and Self-Identity as such.

In The Postmodern Èræ, “Queer” is (unsurprisingly) still more complex. For “Golden (ie Senior Citizen-Status [or e’‘en merely Retiréé-Aged]) GaL’s (Gays-and-Lesbians),” the word Queer may still sting, but for The Younger Generation(s) out there, the word Queer has been Reclaimed in a few different senses.

Used as a specific Identity, “Queer” attempts to reject the idea that the Labels ‘o’ Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, etc are able to explain any one person’s Identity.

Used as an umbrella-term that encompasses individuals ‘o’ varying Gender(s) and Sexual Identities, “Queer” is oft applied as replacement for the acronym “QUILTTSBADGE+,” so instead ‘o’ saying The “QUILTTSBADGE+ Community” people simply say The “Queer Community” – essentially an abbreviation-‘o’-the abbreviate, because that’s what cool kids do (“I heard you like abbreviations, so I abbreviated your abbrev”).

Indeed, “Queer” has since circulated in Célébratory Subversion throughout The QUILTTSBADGE+ Community because, as you can tell from this Column (cf [confer] my previous as Cited Further Above), the acronyms in-practice and Proposed be long and complex. Referring to it as The “Queer Community” abbreviates that; but Queer is also a Reclaimed Word, so employing it in a positive manner is typically Acceptable but slinging it in a derogatory and derisive fashion and attempting to defend abusing it that way by saying that The Community does so is NEVER copacetic.

One definition ‘o’ “Queer” is “Abnormal” or “Strange.” For many people who do not adhere to Sexual and / or Gender Norm(s), this Reclamation is a Contrarian Célébration ‘o’ no’ fitting into Norm(s) – being “Abnormal.”

Manifestations ‘o’ Oppression within Gay-and-Lesbian Movements such as Racism (the Systematic Subordination ‘o’ Marginalized Racial Groups : Indigenous / Native-American, Black, API [Asian-Pacific Islander], Nonwhite Southwest Asian [ie “Middle-Eastern”] Peoples, Nonwhite Latinx [pronounced “La-TEEN-ex” : a Nongender-specific manner-‘o’-referring unto Peoples-‘o’-Latin American Descent, the “x” at the end replacing “o” and “a” – which have been Gendered suffixes – thereby moving beyond terms like Latino / a and Latin@, which still reinforce a Gender-Binary; other commonly-known ways ‘o’ referring to Peoples-‘o’-Latin American Descent being Latinos, Latina, Latin@, and Latino] Peoples, and Chicanx, etc] who have relatively little Social Power in The United States, by Members ‘o’ The Agent / Dominant / Privileged [White] Racial Group who have relatively more Social Power), Ableism (the pervasive System-‘o’-Discrimination and Exclusion that Oppresses People who have Mentally, Emotionally and Physically Differentiated Abilities [anachronistically denigrated as “Disabilities”]), Cissexism / Transphobia, and e’‘en Sizeism as well as Assimilation Politics, resulted in many Peoples being Marginalized, thus, for some who use “The Q-Word” to Self-Identify after a positive fashion, “Queer” is a Radical and Antiassimilationist stance that captures multiple aspects ‘o’ Identities.

Per HRC (Human Rights Campaign; Cest 1980—) PRESIDENT CHAD HUNTER GRIFFIN (b1973—[aged 43 yrs ATDE]; President, HRC [Human Rights Campaign] : 2012—ATDE; Visit <http://www.hrc.org/hrc-story/staff/chad-griffin1>) : “We Célébrate the journey ‘o’ this word, and our Movement, Reclaiming with others what was once used as a cudgel against us, and Recognizing the Reality ‘o’ how more and more LGBTQIA+ People Identify themselves.”

In The HRC’s groundbreaking 2012 Survey ‘o’ Self-Identified QUILTTSBADGE+ Youth(s), hundreds ‘o’ Respondents used “Queer” to describe their Sexual Orientation or “Genderqueer” to describe their Gender-Identity, and many others Wrote-In their own Descriptions ‘o’ more Fluid Identities. The Reality captured by the Survey prompted HRC to begin using LGBTQIA+ in its Youth-Related Prógrammes and Work, including HRC Foundation’s Annual Time-To-Thrive Conference (Visit <http://timetothrive.org/>) for Teachers, Counselors, Social-Workers and other Adults who Work with QUILTTSBADGE+ Youth.

While I myself have been using the “Q” in much ‘o’ mine own “Straight-Allied (Allyship Manifesting the Action[s] ‘o’ Working to End Oppression through Support of, and as an Advocate with and for, a Group Other than One’s Own)” Work for years, The HRC has also now Officially embraced the word’s Positive Evolution, joining other Advocates, Supporters and New-Generation Activists who are taking back “Queer” from those who still seek to pervert it as a pejorative.

Thusly, “Queer” serves as an Inclusion-Term that encompasses many people as it intersects with Sexual Orientation(s) and Gender-Identity. It includes anyone who doth no’ associate with Heteronormativity (a set ‘o’ Lifestyle Norms, Practices and Institutions that Promote Binary-Alignment ‘o’ Biological Sex, Gender-Identity and Gender Rôles; Assuming Heterosexuality as a Fundamental and Natural Norm; and Privileging Monogamous, Committed Relationships and Reproductive Sex Above All Other Sexual Practices), but rather instead cleave unto Gender-Expansive and Nonbinary (a Gender-Identity and Experience that embraces a full Universe-‘o’-Expressions and Ways-‘o’-Being that resonate for an individual – maybe an Active Resistance to Binary Gender-Expectations and / or an Intentional Creation ‘o’ new unbounded Ideas-‘o’-Self within The World; for some people who Identify as Nonbinary there maybe ô’‘ērlap with other Concepts and Identities like Gender-Nonconforming and Gender-Expansiveness) Identities.

NOTE – The Straight-Man’s Opportunity (no, not like that …) : At this Phase ‘o’ Postmodern Human Evolution, it be “Common Wisdom,” by Cosmopolitan Sensibilities, that “Every Girl Needs a Gay (in disambiguation from [but not in-discouragement of] Lesbian) Best Friend (see ‘THE SCIENCE BEHIND WHY SO MANY WOMEN WANT TO BEFRIEND GAY MEN’ @ <theconversation.com/the-science-behind-why-so-many-women-want-to-befriend-gay-men-51965>).”

So Guys, if someone tells you they’re “Queer (which, as articulated Above, could Source as a Self-Identifier from ANY Sex or Gender),” all that you know about them is they’re no’ explicitly Heterosexual or Gender-Conformist, but you can probably deduce that they’re a fairly decent Human Being (logically, if they’re Honest about themselves, than they’re intrinsically Honest ô’‘ērall). Such being said, if another (here presuming The Average Male Reviewer as Presenting themselves by Socially Normative Standards) Self-Presented Male tells you that they’re Queer, you would likely do yourself well to be their Friend by way ‘o’ Long-Term Health Benefit(s) for your own ô’‘ērall Psychological Balance and Emotional Well-Being – seriously (sic, see the six Links Below [yes, half-a-dozen-‘o’-‘em, as this Concept be THAT shattering to The Mundane Man]) :

Best commence w[ith] The PSYCHOLOGY TODAY (Cest 1967—) Column entitled “GAY MEN And STRAIGHT-MEN AS FRIENDS,” By PSYCHOTHERAPIST DR MICHÆL C LaSALA PhD (Philosophiæ Doctor), LCSW (Licensed Clinical Social Worker) @ <https://www.psychologytoday.com/blog/gay-and-lesbian-well-being/201506/gay-men-and-straight-men-friends>,

continue w / THE NYX (NEW YORK TIMES; Cest 1851—) Column entitled “THE RISE ‘O’ THE ‘BROMOSEXUAL’ FRIENDSHIP,” By JIM FARBER @ <https://www.nytimes.com/2016/10/07/fashion/mens-style/gay-straight-men-friendship.html>,

carry on w / THE DAILY TELEGRAPH (Cest 1855—) Column entitled “HOW GAY And STRAIGHT-MEN BECAME THE BEST-‘O’-FRIENDS,” By CRISTO FOUFAS @ <www.telegraph.co.uk/men/relationships/how-gay-and-straight-men-became-the-best-of-friends/>,

“WHY EVERY STRAIGHT-MAN NEEDS A GBF (Gay Best Friend),” By ALEX SANGHA @ <www.huffingtonpost.ca/alex-sangha/straight-man-gay-best-friends_b_5059441.html>,

“FIVE REASONS WHY STRAIGHT-GUYS NEED GAY FRIENDS !,” a DSP (Dear Straight People) Open Letter @ <https://dearstraightpeople.com/2015/08/18/5-reasons-why-straight-guys-need-gay-friends/>,

and finally “TEN REASONS WHY EVERY STRAIGHT-GUY NEEDS A GBF,” By DAVID ARTAVA @ <www.gayguys.com/2014/05/10-reasons-every-straight-guy-needs-gay-best-friend/>.

(Q[2]) is for “Questioning (which many a Straight-Guy may fall into per their own Cognition [if] pursuant The Above)” : The process ‘o’ exploring one’s own Gender-Identity, Gender-Expression, and / or Sexual Orientation(s). Some Individuals actually Apply this term to name their Identity within The QUILTBADGE+ Community to Express themselves as still establishing an Identity and understanding where they fit on The Gender Spectrum or with their Sexual Preferences.

U — “U” is for “Unidentified (which many a Straight-Guy may fall into by-Reckoning-‘o’-Others [if] pursuant The Above [c’est lä viē …])” : Essentially an Identity-Convergence ‘o’ “I Know But I’m No’ Telling” along “That’s For me To Know and Ye To (maybe) Find Out (if you’re lucky [?, there maybe some argument as to whether such knowledge be deemed fortunate in the finding …]);” Same Initial (“U”) being necessitated at-any-rate by an unfortunately self-evident inability (or Unwillingness) on-part ‘o’ The Uninformed (ie Uneducated [perhaps most appropriately referenced as Unenlightened]) to Identify Others …

I — “I” is for “Intersex(ed)” – this is Controversial, and some Intersex(ed) People do not wish to be considered QUILTTSBADGE+ :

“Ἑρμαφροδιτος (‘Hermaphrodīte [Effeminate];’ cf Entry per The Ancient Classical God ‘ἙΡΜĀΦΡΟΔῙΤΟΥΣ [HERMĀPHRODĪTOUS]’ via The ΕΛΛĪΝΙΚĪ́ [‘ELLĪNIKĪ́,’ or ‘hELLǼNIC PEOPLES’;’ ie ‘THE GRECIANS’ ’] MYTHOLOGY INDEX @ <www.mythindex.com/greek-mythology/H/Hermaphroditus.html>)” is an outdated and inaccurate term that has been used to describe Intersex(ed) People(s) in The Past. Indeed, it’s offensiveness is Experiential, as ‘t’‘is a “Medical Diagnosis” Applied to Infants born with both Male and Female Sexual Organs, or Characteristics ‘o’ both Organs, but are (ofttimes) otherwise completely healthy and functional – rendering any “Diagnoses” utterly unnecessary when such babies are Presenting Humanity the Evolutionary Gift ‘o’ Another Gender / Other Sexes Long Agone Accepted by Indigenous Peoples (see Further Below).

Our Postmodern Understanding ‘o’ an Intersexual is either someone whose anatomy is not exclusively Male or Female, someone who Identifies as both Male and Female, or both – but most probably people who Naturally (that is, sans any Medical Intervention) develop Primary or Secondary Physical Sex Characteristics that are not categorized as exclusively Male or exclusively Female and do not fit neatly into Society’s Definitions ‘o’ Male or Female.

Intersex(ed) People are relatively Common (!) – certainly not as uncommon as we might assume; about one in every two-thousand (1 : 2000 [!]) Newborns is Born in an Intersexual State, although the Society’s (literally) Violent Denial ‘o’ their Existence has allowed very little room for Intersex Issues to be Discussed Publicly. Indeed : Many Visibly Intersex(ed) People are Mutilated-in-Infancy and Early Childhood by Doctors to Force the Individual’s Sex-Characteristics Conform to Society’s Idea of what “Normal Bodies” should look like (therebe No Melodramatic Abuse ‘o’ the term “Mutilation” here, as elucidated upon Further Below).

As well, Note that sometimes Nations or States (within The USA [United States-‘o’-America; Cest 1776—]) have LAWS that Define Gender. My Legal Historical Knowledge on this is no’ extensive but I do recall the Case ‘o’ a Contemporary Intersex Person who was considered a Man in Rìoghachd na h-Alba (The “Kingdom of Scotland;” Cest AD [Annō Dominī] DCCCXLIII [843 Commonal Èræ]—) and a Woman in The USA because Scotland Defined this Person’s Gender by Levels-‘o’-Testosterone in The Brain whereas, in The United States it had to do with Genitalia (if I remember at’‘tall correctly) !

Other Identity-Names for this you may hear include Androgynous (Androgyny can also be associated with being Agender[ed] : When an individual doth no’ Identify as Male or Female and prefereth to not Identify with a Gender) or “Two-Spirit(ed),” a Tradition in many First Nations ‘o’ Original Peoples (ie NAI [Native-American-Indian] Tribes). There are a variety ‘o’ Definitions and feelings about the term “Two Spirit(s)” – and this term does not resonate for everyone. Per Chippewa-Cree Tribal CHCC (Capitol Hill Community Council; Visit <capitolhillcommunitycouncil.org>) PRESIDENT ƵACHARY PULLIN (Visit <http://www.capitolhillseattle.com/author/zachary-pullin/>]), as Recorded in The May / June 2014 Issues ‘o’ NATIVE PEOPLES :

“(This) term stems from The Ojibwe phrase ‘Niiƶh-Manidoowag’ and replaces the outdated, oversimplified term ‘Berdache (considered offensive by many Native American Communities because ‘o’ its pejorative and Nonamerican etymology, a slur referential an American-Indian who assumes the dress, Social Status, and Rôle ‘o’ The Opposite Sex ~ DDD),’ which appeared frequently in Research and Anthropological Studies that aimed to describe the place ‘o’ Gay Men in Native Society in The Eighteenth and Early Nineteenth Centuries (…) The phrase “Two-Spirit” began to gain traction ‘cross Native America after 1990, when thirteen Men, Women and Transgender People from various Tribes met in Winnipeg, Canada, with the task ‘o’ finding a term that could unite The LGBTQIA+ Native Community. (…) For me, the term ‘Two Spirit’ Resists a Western Definition ‘o’ Who We are and What We should be. Two-Spirit’s (Twin-Spirited People[s]) are integral to The Struggle of undoing the impacts ‘o’ Historical Trauma, because our Rôles in Tribes Historically were part ‘o’ The Traditions taken away from us with Westernization.”

The “I” On The Positive QUILTTSBADGE

What is Intersexuality ? Someone who is Intersex is Medically a Hermāphrodīte; someone who is born with both Male and Female Genitalia. Aside from genitalia, the person may also Develop both Male and Female Secondary-Sex Traits, such as Breasts or Facial Hair.

Ca 1993, The White European-American Nancy Duke Lewis Professor-‘o’-Biology and Gender Studies at Brown University (Cest 1764—; Visit <http://www.annefaustosterling.com/fields-of-inquiry/gender/>) DR ANNE FAUSTO-STERLING Phd (b1944—; Visit <http://www.annefaustosterling.com/>) Wrote an Essay entitled “THE FIVE SEXES,” in which she Suggested that instead of two Sexes, there are actually as many as five.

Where do these Other Sexes come from ? Acknowledgedly (in-sense ‘o’ Societal [and ultimately – God Willing – Political] Recognition), they come from the “I” in The QUILTTSBADGE+ (or the anachronistic “LGBTQIA+”), which standeth for “Intersex.”

Manifestly – according to Dr Fausto-Sterling, Professor of Biology, Emerita – there are three types ‘o’ Intersex People(s) :

(1.) “Herm(s),” or True Hermāphrodītes (lit[erally] “Effeminate[s]”) who are equal parts Male and Female – born as Infants with both Ovaries and Testicles and having both Male and Female Sex Organs;

(2.) “Merm(s),” or Male Pseudohermāphrodītes (lit “Masculine False-Effeminates”) who are more Male than Female – a Genetic Male with External Sex Organs that fail to Develop properly, resulting in Female or Male / Female Physical Characteristics;

and (3.) “Ferm(s),” or Female Pseudohermāphrodītes (lit “Feminine False-Effeminates”) who are more Female than Male – a Genetic Female with Male External Sex Organs.

Any Child who is in an intersexual State ought be Classified in one ‘o’ the three Categories so articulated and Left Be ‘less The Cause Be Disease (see Further Below).

For therebe many causes for Intersexuality. One common cause has to do with chromosomes : Every Human has twenty-three sets ‘o’ chromosomes. The twenty-third chromosome is The Sex Chromosome because it determines what Sex we are. If the twenty-third chromosome is XY (or comprised ‘o’ an X-chromosome and a Y-chromosome), the person is a Male; if the twenty-third chromosome is XX (or comprised ‘o’ two X-chromosomes), the person is a Female. However, some Genetic Conditions cause a person’s Sex Chromosome to be XXY – in other words, both Female (XX) and Male (XY). Still another Genetic Condition can cause a person to be XXXY – a full set ‘o’ both Male and Female chromosomes.

Intersexuality has still many other causes. By-way-‘o’-example, it can be caused by Hormone Receptors that don’t, well, Receive Hormones. When Babies are Developing in The Womb, they ALL Begin with Sex Organs that look Female. If The Baby is Male, he begins to Produce Testosterone, and if the Hormone reaches the tissues correctly, the External Genitals become a Scrotum and Penis. Chromosomal or Sex Hormone Abnormalities can Produce an Infant in an Intersexual State. It can also be caused by a Condition called Congenital Adrenal Hyperplasia, which IS a Disease that Blocks The Baby’s Metabolism.

NOVA’s (New Opportunities Vision and Achievement’s; Cest 1974—) Website outlines the many, many causes ‘o’ Intersexuality here : <http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/nova/body/intersex-spectrum.html>.

What doth all this mean ?

‘T’‘Is alot to take in but ‘t’‘is really a Topic that We as a Society need to explore – for Intersexuality hath no’ been Addressed very thoroughly or Publicly e’‘en within The QUILTTSBADGE+ Movement (see THE DAILY BEAST [Cest 2008—] Column entitled “DONT CALL ‘EM ‘HERMĀPHRODĪTES’,” By JOSEPH HUFF-HANNON @ <www.thedailybeast.com/dont-call-them-hermaphrodites>).

One ‘o’ the main Issues The Intersex Community is confronted with is whether or no’ they fit into a convenient Definition-‘o’-Sex. Many parents, upon finding out their Child is Intersex, Opt for “Corrective Surgery” so that The Child is Physically either Male or Female. Because parents find out their Child is Intersex when The Child is Born, Corrective Surgery oft happens within days ‘o’ The Child being Born. In Times-Past, Doctors would perform Surgeries without first Testing the Infant to find out its True Sex, and the Child would sometimes grow up very obviously a Man, with Female Genitalia. Today, Specialists can perform an Ultrasound, Blood Test, Chromosome-Analysis, and e’‘en Commit (presumably at Parental Behest) to Exploratory Surgery to ascertain The Baby’s True Sex.

Howe’‘er : Such “Treatment” is still controversial.

Many people in The Intersex Community feel this is Unethical for many reasons : For one, being Intersex is not the same as being a Female with some Male Genitalia (or the opposite); rather, it means the person is literally both Male and Female. Many Intersex People whose parents have Opted for Corrective Surgery, upon finding out about their Intersexuality, wish their parents had not chosen to Surgically Alter their Genitalia. While their parents certainly have the right intentions – they want only to protect their child – is this really Ethical ? After all, being Intersex is not the same as being a Male with Female Genitalia.

Some believe that Surgery and / or Hormonal Therapy should begin within The First Fifteen Months-‘o’-Life (which I myself would Advise if The Causal Factor Be Identified as Conditional Disease), and others believe these things should be put off until The Child is old enough to make his or her own Decision about it (which I myself would otherwise Advise as The Generic Response per Majority-‘o’-Cases). “O”-course therebe Pro’s and Con’s for each side. Either way, ANY Family with an Intersexual Infant should begin Counseling, as should The Child when he or she is old enough.

Because another pertinent Question is : How do Intersex People(s) Define their Sexual Orientation ? Can we e’‘en hold them to our Gender-Binary Sexual Orientations ? Allowing explication : If an Intersex Person with both Male and Female Chromosomes and Genitalia is Sexually Attracted to a Female, is that Intersex Person a Lesbian Woman or a Straight Male ? This is a question I canno’ answer; the best I can do is say this dependeth on The Individual.

The deeper Question, as I mentioned Above, is can we hold Intersex People to Sexual Orientations that rely on people being either Male or Female ? As mentioned Above, Intersex People are no’ truly Male or Female (though they may feel more drawn to one Sex and Surgically Modify their genitalia to reflect that and live as such – BMA [By My Advisement], should an Intersex Person Choose-to-Choose a Gender and stick with it, then I think it right to consider this person a Member ‘o’ whatever Gender ƶe [s / he] hath Chosen – but I digress).

Mine own Stance as a Cisgendered (albeit oft Crossdressed) Heterosexual Christian : Babies are no’ Born with Physical Differences to Punish their Parents in any way. Indeed : The Ǽngæls Themselves are Hermāphrodītic – in-a-sense rendering Intersexuals physiologically closer to The Image-‘o’-God than anyone-‘o’-us. If left Unscarred by invasive Surgical Scalpels, a Third Gender will eventually Emerge-In-Numbers Among Humanity as hath e’‘er (obviously) been God’s Will – with much to Offer in terms ‘o’ Alternative Thought(s), Perspective(s) and Culture(s) Destined, one could easily imagine, to establish their own Communities and perhaps e’‘en, ultimately, Micronation-State(s).

Irrespective such Vision(s), it is very possible at The Contemporary Communal Level for a child born with both sex organs to grow up to have a healthy View-‘o’-Sexuality and successful Relationships. From Early-On, the child should be Taught how valuable, Loved and Accepted ƶe is by hir (sic, the correctly spelled and properly applied Nongendered, or “Third Gender-Specific,” pronoun) Family and also by God.

Most emphatically : Ƶe (ultimately, perhaps, he or she by hir own Choice on hir own Time) is not a Victim ‘o’ Divine Judgment, but instead Embodiment ‘o’ God’s Plan for each one-‘o’-us that will bring Him Glory, as we can learn from a Man who was Healed By ЕГÔ ЕИМИ ТХЕÓÚС О ГYИÓС ТОУ И̱И̱ĒСÔÚС БАРЕН-YОСЕПФХ ТОУ НАЗАО̱РǼТĺОУ, ЧРИСТÓÚС МАОШИYАЧ ИЕММАНУ‘ЕЛ, ВАСиЛиΆС ТО̱Н ЕВРĺО̱Н, ХОМИНУМ САЛВАТОР, О ВАСиЛиΆС ТОН ВАСиЛΈОН, КАи КΎРиОС ТОН ЛΌРТхОН (Lat[in], “EGÔ EIMI THEÓÚS O GYIÓS TOU I̱I̱ĒSÔÚS BAREN-YOSEPFH TOU NAƵAO̱RǼTĺOU, CHRISTÓÚS MAOSHIYACH IEMMANU‘EL, VASiLiΆS TO̱N EVRĺO̱N, HOMINUM SALVATOR, O VASiLiΆS TON VASiLΈON, KAi KΎRiOS TON LΌRThON;” Æng[licized] “Egô EIMI – or ‘I AM’ – God The Son Jesus – a Synthesis of הַ עִבְרִית [‘Ha-‘Eebvryeet,’ or ‘The Hebrew’ Language] ‘Yæhushua’ and The Ελληνική [‘Elliniki,’ or ‘Greek’] ‘Ƶeus’ into a variant ‘o’ ‘Joshua’ – Baren – lit ‘Son-of’-Yosepfh [‘Joseph’]-‘o’-Naƶareth, Christ [lit ‘Anointed’] MaoSHiYacH [‘Messiah’ in Ha-‘Eebvryeet, or ‘The Hebrew’] IEmmanu‘el [‘God-is-With-Us’ in Ha-‘Eebvryeet], King ‘o’ The Jews, Saviour-‘o’-Men, KING-‘O’-KINGS, AND LORD-‘O’-LORDS;” BCAChN [Birthed Circa Antechristum Natum, or “Born Proximately Precedent Christóús’ Deliverance”] VII—II [7—2 ANCÈ : Between The Seventh Through The Second Years Avant Notre Commonal Èræ]—DCAD [Decedent Circa Annō Dominī, or “Deceased Proximately The Year-‘o’-Our Lord”] XXX—XXXVI [30—36 CÈ : Between The Thirtieth Through The Thirty-Sixth Years ‘o’ The Commonal Èræ]; Interned, Tortured and Crucified Unto Execution, Descended, Interred and Thenceforth Ascended; Scripted To Return; Note : In Those Times ‘o’ Rṓmãn-Mediterranean Judaism There Were No Familial Surnames, The Individual’s Region-‘o’-Origin being employed in such stead – In This Case Naƶareth [Yæhushua Baren-Yosepfh being Galilean] – whilst, when within Said Region itself, Persons would employ “Son-Of” and The Name ‘o’ their Father [so Mankind’s Jesus MaoSHiYacH IEmmanu‘el was “JOSHUA, SON-‘O’-JOSEPH” to His Neighbours; “JOSHUA JOSEPHSON” in The Postmodern vernacular], “THE CHRIST” being Not a Name but a Title, Implying Messianic Anointment in Elliniki [The “Greek”] and The Christogram JHC [“I̱i̱ēsôús Hominum Salvator,” or “Jesus, Saviour-‘o’-Men” in The Latin] oft Profaned Today by Westerners as “Jesus H Christ” In Blasphemy; Said Referenced Divinity-In-Person ‘o’ يسوع المسيح [“YASOU ǢHL-MASEEH”] – TheʿArábic Name ‘o’ The Christóús – being Perceived as a Prophet but No’ Divine by المسلمين [“Mäʊo͝ozslīəms;” Æng “Mʊŏzlīms” and bastardized “Muoslims;” lit “Submitters;” or “Ones Who Submit;” presumably in Devotional Dedication to The Will of ‘ALL-LLĀĀH’ & ALL-LLĀĀH Alone]) :

“ ‘Teacher,’ His Disciples Asketh-‘o’-Him, ‘Why was This Man Born Blind ? Was it Result his own Sins or those ‘o’ his Parents ?’

“jI̱i̱ēsôús Answered, ‘T’‘was no’ because ‘o’ his Sins or The Sins ‘o’ his Parents. He was Born Blind so The Power-‘o’-God could be Seen within him’.”

~ JOHN 9 : 2—3, “THE MOST HOLY BOOK-‘O’-THE BIBLE.”

L — “L” is for “Lesbian(s)” – a Female-Identifying (and Female-Identified) Individual Person who is Attracted Romantically, Physically, or Emotionally to either Another Female-Identified Person specifically or Other Female-Identifying Individuals in general, Traditionally Cisgender(ed).

If ye Identify as Lesbian, it probably means that you’re a Woman whose Primary Sexual and Affectional Orientation is toward People ‘o’ the same Gender (ie, thou art a Woman Sexually Attracted to Other Women).

T* — “Transgender(s)” and / or “Transition(ing), or simply “Trans*;” the “T” standeth for Any-‘o’-The Above (the asterisk [ie Trans*] being appended to Include Nonbinary People[s], but ‘t’‘is hardly indispensable, as Nonbinary People[s] are already Trans[’]-By-Definition).

What The “T” Doth No’ Directly or Specifically Represent :

“Transvestite(s [or e’‘en more Offensively, ‘TV’s’])” : This is an Outdated and problematic term due to its Historical Abuse(s) as a Diagnosis for Medical / Mental Health Disorder(s). “Crossdresser(s)” has superseded Transvestite in The Postmodern Popular Lexicon. Do Note that Crossdressing is not a Sexual Identity (and therefore no’ Acknowledged by a Representative “Railcar [ie Initial]” on The QUILTTSBADGE+ “letter-train”), as Sexuality is not a major factor in Primary Transvestism. This Qualification Applies either to my own Situational Persōnātion(s) from my Past or otherwise among Others : Whether “Drag Queens” and “Drag Kings (both of whom are Performers Crossdressing for purpose[s] ‘o’ Entertaining)” or Transvestic Fetishists (because such be considered a “Paraphilia” rather than Gender-Identification). Crossdressing IS, howe’‘er, considered Transgender-Implicative – which cycles Said Behaviour back under-coverage (or appropriately “undercover”) ‘o’ The “T*’s” sans recycling ‘o’ the Misdiagnostic “Trannieterm.”

T1 is for “Transgender(s)” – let us begin by emphasizing this much : Transgender is a complicated word that carryeth a wide range ‘o’ different meanings to a wide range ‘o’ different people(s).

“Transgender” is frequently abbreviated to “Trans*” or simply “Trans” and is employed most often as an umbrella-term to describe an expanding assortment ‘o’ Identities and Experiences ‘o’ people(s) whose Gender-Identity and / or Expression differs from Conventional Expectations based on their Assigned Sex At-Birth. It is an Acceptable Adjectival Label for Anyone whose Biological Sex is different than the Gender with which they Identify and who does not Identify as the Gender they were Assigned to At-Birth – a person who is a Member ‘o’ a Gender other than that Expected based on Anatomical Sex. This Includes Transmale (Currently Identifies [as] Male; a Transman is a person who may Choose to Identify this way to capture their Gender-Identity as well as their Lived Experience as a Transgender Person [some Transmen may also use the term “FTM” or “F2M” to describe their Identity) and Transfemale (Currently Identifies [as] Female; a Transwoman is a person may Choose to Identify this way to capture their Gender-Identity as well as their Lived Experience as a Transgender Person [some Transwomen may also use “MTF” or “M2F” to describe their Identity). Sometimes the term “Born In The Wrong Body” is used, however this depends on The Individual’s Preference, and not all Transpeople Undergo Medical Transition (Surgery and / or Hormones).

If someone Informs yourself that they Identify as Transgender, they are simply Informing you they have a Relationship with Gender that is complex and nuanced. For some Trans*people, this means that their Biological Sex is different than the Gender with which they Identify (ie “Born-In-The-Wrong-Body”). For other Trans*people, Transgender simply suggests some sort ‘o’ Gender-Fluidity. Such is-as-it-is because the word “Transgender” can function as either an umbrella-term or a specific Identity.

Technically, Anyone who is breaking Gender-Norms is Transgender – a Fratbrat (Fraternity-Boy) in a Tutu, for example, could be deemed Transgender in some Progressive Circles. In-all-probability you’re probably somewhat Transgender yourself (indeed, were ye SO Phobic as to Deny such, ye would no’ e’‘en be reviewing this Column !). “Condragulations (If you don’t get the sly reference to The American Television Personality and Singer / Songwriter RuPAUL ANDRÉ CHARLES [b1960—aged 56 yrs ATDE; Active 1979—ATDE] here, you need to stop reading this Column right now and watch an Episode ‘o’ ‘RuPAUL’s DRAG RACE [Televisual Serial, 2009—ATDE]’ to get yourself in with The Hipsters before ye moulder …) …!”

Some Commonly-Held and Practically-Accessible Definitions :

(1.) Someone whose Determination ‘o’ their Sex and / or Gender is not Universally considered Valid; someone whose Behaviour or Expression does not “match” their Assigned Sex according to Society.

(2.) A Gender Outside ‘o’ The Man / Woman Binary.

(3.) Having No Gender or Multiple Genders.

!!! ATTENTION !!! : At this point (before we “Transition [see Below]” into “Transexuality [see Further Below]”), I think it be helpful to clarify that, if someone tells you that they Identify as Transgender, it doth NOT Grant yourself License to Interrogate their Life-Story, ask them about their genitals, or make them Educate you on TRANSGENDER-101. Anyone who indulges in such invasive crassitude deserves noaught-but-contempt and should be Flagged ‘cross The ‘Net as the insufferable Boor they are …

(T[2]) is for “Transition(ing)” : An Individualized Process by which Transgender and Transsexual People(s) “Switch” from one Gender-Presentation to another. There are three General Aspects to Transitioning :

Social (ie Name[s], Pronoun[s], Interaction[s], etc),

Medical (ie Hormones, Surgery, etc),

and Legal (ie Gender-Marker and Name-Change, etc).

A Trans*individual may Transition in any combination, or none, ‘o’ these Aspects.

TS — “TS” is for “Transsexual(s)” : Surprise ! On The Great Queer Alphabet-Train, the “T-Car” hath Latched-on another Load via Letter-Coupling – that’s how you can tell The Fǽyfolk are living in The Future, Fellow-Breeders. The word “Transsexual (TS-People[s])” was no’ usually e’‘en considered in the old ad-hoc standardized “LGBTQIA+” acronym, but given the confusion about this word and the Common Usage ‘o’ it within Popular Discourse, it perforce must be Integrated into Tomorrow’s Mass-Awareness as The “Conjunctive Nonidentity” on The QUILTTSBADGE+ Banner.

Sometimes used to specifically refer to Trans*people pursuing Sex or Gender-Confirmation, a “Transsexual” is either a person who lives full-time in a Gender different than their Assigned Gender and Birth-Sex or someone who is Transgender and is Undergoing some type ‘o’ Physical Change to Another Sex – many pursuing Hormones and / or Surgeries, etc. Transsexual People(s) are Individuals who have Physically Altered their Body in-order to better match their Gender-Identity; it being a term that doth not necessarily refer to Identity, but rather unto Biology, and as such is indicative ‘o’ a change in one’s Physiology.

Currently, people generally don’t Openly Identify as “Transsexual(s),” so one should no’-go-‘round Asking people if they are. Comparable Faux päs would be Asking a Lady about Cosmetic Surgeries she may have Undergone or Asking your GBF (Gay Best Friend [see Further Above]) if they’re a “Homosexual” – to doso would betray oneself as … Socially-Retarded ….

B — “Bisexual(s)” and The “Bigender(ed);” the “B” standeth for both or either.

B1 is for “Bisexual(s)” : A Bisexual is an Individual Person whose Primary Sexual and Affectional Orientation is toward both Male-Identifying and Female-Identifying Individuals – Traditionally Cisgender(ed) ones. People who Identify as Bisexual(s) are Attracted Romantically, Physically, or Emotionally toward People(s) ‘o’ The Same and Other Genders, or towards People(s) regardless ‘o’ their Gender.

They do not have to be Equally Attracted to both Genders, and this doesn’t mean that they’re more Sexually Active than Others, nor doth it doesn’t mean they’re Secretly either Gay or Straight. It simply means that there is a Dual Attraction to both Men and Women. “Bisexuality” is commonly confused with Pansexuality as Appended onto The QUILTTSBADGE viś-à-viś The “+” Sign.

Note : There are some people out there who think that Bisexuality doesn’t exist. Simply put, they are Fools. If any of your friends e’‘er say this, either Correct their idiocy or Terminate the friendship immediately because, seriously, you deserve more intelligent friends.

(B[2]) is for “Bigender(ed)” : Having two Genders, Exhibiting Cultural Characteristics ‘o’ Masculine and Feminine Rôles.

Ā — “Allyship (mine own Car on The QUILTTSBADGE+ Train as a SaC [Straight-and-Cisgendered]-Man ~ DDD)” or The “Asexual” and / or “Aromantic (Individuals who do not Experience Romantic Attraction toward Individuals ‘o’ Any [‘o’ the three] Gender[s])” Spectrum – Inclusive Græy-Asexuality (Græy-Asexual[s], Græysexual[s], or Græy-A’s are Individuals who feel as though their Sexuality falls somewhere on the Spectrum-‘o’-Sexuality between Sexuality and Asexuality), etc; The Quadrupled “A” stands for either or All-‘o’-The-Above.

A1 is for “Allies” : Historically, The “A” Represented The “Allied” specifically in-order to Cover for The Closeted Individuals in QUILTTSBADGE+ Space(s) back when this was definitely NOT for Allies Who-Be-“Breeders,” yet Today’s QUILTTSBADGE+ Allyship is founded on the Belief an Ally CAN be both a SaC (Straight-and-Cisgender[ed])-Person who doth not Identify as QUILTTSBADGE+ but Supports The Rights and Safety ‘o’ Those Who Do and Believes that Dismantling Genderism / Cissexism, Heterosexism, Transphobia (the Fear or Hatred ‘o’ Transgender People[s] or People[s] who do not meet Society’s Gender-Rôle Expectations; Transphobia is closely linked with Homophobia and Biphobia), and Biphobia (the Fear or Hatred ‘o’ People[s] who are Bisexual, Nonmonosexual [People who are Attracted to more than one Gender], Pansexual / Omnisexual [terms used to describe People who have Romantic, Sexual or Affectional Desire for People-‘o’-All Genders and Sexes]; Biphobia is closely linked with Homophobia and Transphobia) is a Social Justice Issue and encompasses the Practice ‘o’ Confronting Sexism (the Cultural, Institutional and Individual Set-‘o’-Beliefs and Practices that Privilege Men, Subordinate Women, and Devalue Ways-‘o’-Being that are Associated with Women), Genderism, Heterosexism, Allosexism, and Monosexism In-Oneself and Others out ‘o’ Self-Interest and a Concern for The Well-Being ‘o’ Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, Queer, Intersex and Asexual People(s).

(A[2]) is for “Asexual(s)” : A term used to describe a Person who is Not Attracted to Anyone or doth not have Sexual-Orientation and who doth no’ Experience Sexual Attraction toward Individuals ‘o’ Any Gender. Asexuality is an Identity and Sexual Orientation, not a Medical Condition – as Sexual Attraction is not necessary for a person to be Healthy. As a Sexual Orientation, Asexuality is different from Celibacy, in that Celibacy is the Choice to Refrain from Engaging in Sexual Behaviours and doth not Comment on one’s Sexual Attractions.

An Asexual Individual may Choose to Engage in Sexual Behaviours for various reasons e’‘en while not Experiencing Sexual Attraction and, whilst Asexual(s) are Apathetic and / or Disinterested in Sexual Relationships, Asexual People could still be very interested in Romantic Gestures like cuddling or hand-holding, and may e’‘en choose to engage in Sexual Activity if their Partner is not Asexual.

D — “D” is for “Demisexual(s)” : Demisexuality is a Sexual Orientation in which someone feels Sexual Attraction only to People with whom they have an Emotional Bond. Demisexual Individuals are those who do not Experience Primary Sexual Attraction but may Experience Secondary Sexual Attraction after a Close Emotional Connection hath already formed.

Most Demisexuals feel Sexual Attraction rarely compared to The General Population, and some have little-to-no interest in Sexual Activity. Demisexuals are considered to be on The Asexual Spectrum, meaning they are closely Aligned with Asexuality (see Above).

G — “G” is for “Gay(s)” : A Sexual and Affectional Orientation toward People ‘o’ The Same Gender.

While “Gay(s)” can be used as an umbrella-term for Men and Women, People who Identify as Gay are generally Men who find themselves Attracted to Other Men. In-Detail : Man + Man + Intimacy + Desire = Gay – a Person, mainly a Male-Identifying Individual, who is Attracted Romantically, Physically, or Emotionally to Another Person ‘o’ The Same Sex (ie Another Male-Identified Person or Other Male-Identifying Individuals, Traditionally Cisgender[ed]). ‘T’‘is a simple equation, really.

Howe’‘er, because The Goal ‘o’ The Gay Rights Movement as a Cultural Insurgency hath e’‘er been to confuse you and leave you hopelessly disoriented, Gay can also refer to Women. But only sometimes. And there’s no Rule for when ‘t’‘is à propos to employ it that way or no’.

Get ô’‘ēr it (hey, at least I didno’ admonish thee to “Bend Ô’‘ēr and ‘Take It’ Like a Man …”) …

E — “E” is for “Et c(etera)” : Therebe Reason the “E” be silent in-pronunciation ‘o’ QUILTTSBADGE+ … Personally, I Interpret the “Etc” as Inclusive-‘o’-All Silent EXPERIENCERS At-Any-Age Involuntarily Victimized at some-point-or-other(s) in their Lives into QUILTTSBADGE-Promoted Activities as Perverted By Prædators (whom may-or-may not shield behind Alternative Lifestyle[s] Identification) While Child-Victims ‘o’ Pædoprædators First (and Rightly Foremost) come-to-mind, Many Other Catagories ‘o’ The RaM (Raped-and-Molested) need-be Accounted-For and Acknowledged (exemplī grātiā : “Prison-Punks”), thereby Expanding Inclusiveness ‘o’ The Ｑ-Train to encompass a good deal ‘o’ The Human Race – mayhaps The Majority thereof !

I myself assert that Only by such Acknowledgement ‘o’ the Damage(s) Inflicted By The Villains Among The QUILTTSBADGE+ Demi-monde can a sense ‘o’ Sympathetic Reciprocity e’‘er be established that will Balance, Benefit – and Ultimately Enrich – Both Culture-Worlds, Straight and Gay.

+ — The “+” Includes All Other Queer Identities that hath no’ already been mentioned, but Primarily those that sound-off with a “P” – such as Polysexuality and Pansexuality. The “Plus” is for … :

Polysexual(ity) / Polyamorous(ness) : Sometimes employed as an umbrella-term for All Forms ‘o’ Ethical, Consensual and Loving Nonmonogamy, Polyamory denotes Attraction To Multiple Partners Simultaneously and Consensually being in / open to Multiple Loving Relationships at the same time. Polypeople can also be Bi(sexual[s]), Straight(s), Gay(s), Pan(sexual[s]), or Other Type(s)-‘o’-Orientation – Hell, Some Polyamorists (Polyamorous People[s]) consider “Poly” to be a Relationship Orientation. While they usually have two or more Partners at the same time; these Relationships can be very Healthy and Happy, so remember that even if a certain Type-‘o’-Relationship dothno’ work for you, dothno’ mean you get to say what doth and dothno’ work for Other People(s).

Pansexual(ity) / Omnisexual(ity) : Attraction To Any Gender. Terms used to describe People who have Romantic, Sexual or Affectional Desire(s) for People ‘o’ All Genders and Sexes. In-sum, as a Pansexual would put it : “I am Attracted to People, Not their Presentation.” This is disambiguated from Bisexuality because Pansexuals are Attracted to Individuals from Anywhere On The Gender Spectrum, Including All The Identities described Above and many more.

Pangender(ed) / Polygender(ed) : Exhibiting Characteristics ‘o’ Multiple Genders, deliberately Refuting the concept ‘o’ only two Genders.

————————————————————————-

Not only is it important to célébrate this Move towards Inclusivity, it is also important to célébrate your own Empowerment via Educating yourself. For now, you should take a nap or go watch Television (I try to evade the “TV” diminutive for reason rendered obvious Further Above …). If you’ve made it through This Column, you deserve to relax.

“WAIT !” you say, “Where can I learn more about QUILTTSBADGE+ Identities ?”

(… S-I-G-H …) Honestly, at-this-point, I am sorely tempted to reply “In God’s Name, why would ye want to ?” But, in no particular order :

The NOW (National Organization for Women; Cest 1966 [The Very Year I myself Entered This Vale-‘o’-Tears]—)
National Center for Lesbian Rights
Parents and Friends of Lesbians and Gays
Office of Women’s Health
Human Rights Campaign
American Civil Liberties Union
Bisexual Resource Center
National Center for Transgender Equality
Transgender Terminology (Scan Search Engine[s] for PDF [Portable Document Format] entitled thusly)
Intersex Society of North America
Intersex Initiative
“The Genderbread Person” Diagram
The Asexual Visibility and Education Network
Asexuality Archive
Gender Pronouns Guide (Scan Search Engine[s] for PDF entitled thusly)
Gender Education and Advocacy

This List Above (^) is by no means exhaustive, and there are many Resources that have much more Information. E’‘en if ye Identify yourself as SaC’d (Straight-and-Cisgendered) as I am, Educating yourself and knowing about Issues that Affect The Queer Community makes ye a better Friend and Ally !

Working in The Social Justice Movement can be tiring, pinpointing Injustice(s) Daily – which is why it is imperative to célébrate Every Achievement, no matter the size. Marriage-Equality is not Universal, Transgender Healthcare is rarely Covered by Insurance Companies and Workplace Discrimination is Daily for some Individuals. However, Circulating Inclusive Language – like QUILTTSBADGE+ – reflects our own Commitment to a stronger, more Diverse Society and encourages others to do the same.

— In-Distribution By DOUGLAS DIETRICH PRODUCTIONSSUBSCRIBE @ <DOUGLASDIETRICH.COM>& Contribute To The Struggle @ <SHOWSDD.COM/DONATE.HTML>.