I have expressed how I don’t like to label myself, but I also prefer to categorize my posts and have a page of what terms are out there and what they mean. I want to clarify why this is, because the two could be considered contradictory.
I also want to emphasize two things:
There is nothing wrong with identifying with a certain term.
There is nothing wrong with choosing not to identify with a term at all.
There are a number of reasons someone might have a problem with labels. They have the power to categorize people in ways most would say is inaccurate. And when you’re constantly “put into the wrong box” so to speak, it hurts.
However, there are also some benefits to labels. In a situation such as categorizing posts, labels help to convey a general idea of what topic a post is going to be covering. I’m not intending to create an issue with anyone, I’m just trying to organize my blog the way I think is best. This is the purpose labels serve throughout our lives. We label things so we can mentally organize them. It doesn’t seem like the problem is in the label itself, it’s in what is done after that mental categorization has taken place.
I personally don’t put a specific label on my identity, not because I have an issue with labels themselves, but because I do not feel any of them are accurate for me. I stick to the umbrella terms because I feel like it helps people to “categorize” me without doing it inaccurately (unless of course they have an inaccurate idea of what the umbrella term is). For example, I either say “non-binary” or “genderqueer” when asked what my gender identity is, because all I know is I don’t feel like I’m entirely a “girl” or entirely a “boy.” I’m not concerning myself with where exactly I fall on the spectrum, I just know I’m on it. Any label more specific than that doesn’t feel right for me. Just because something doesn’t feel right for me doesn’t mean it isn’t right for you. I prefer not to label myself, but I completely respect your identity however you choose to describe it to me. You are you. You should identify with what feels right for you. I’m going to identify with what feels right for me. It’s okay for them to be different.
If you have an opinion you would like to share about labels, please either comment or email me.
