[LMB] OT: gender and brains

[Anita]

I wrote this originally for my blog.


Ages ago on http://community.livejournal.com/lesbian/, someone made the
comment that if you scribbled all over a sheet of paper that's how gender
works. <http://not-in-denial.livejournal.com/>Erin, one of my FtM friends,
once said to me that there are infinite variables of gender. I personally
think these include those qualities sometimes described as butch/feme and
sexuality.

I'm a very cisgendered female and I'm writing this post as such. I love
being female and I never feel like I'm anything else.

I often present as feme, long hair, long skirts, jewellery, occasionally
make-up. I wore a little black dress to the 21st on friday with jewellery
and make-up. However I'm emotionally butch and this too occasionally comes
out in my image.

I like clothing from '20s, '30s and '40s, and the odd outfit which is
noticeably earlier. I wear clothing from these eras and I can present as
both male or female.

When dressing up, most commonly during the winter I tend to go for a look
that can be described as Vintage or Vaudeville, androgony or drag king.
Personally I prefer the term drag king because I'm not androgonous and I
don't feel androgonous. Even when I'm wearing tails, I feel female. These
clothes are comfortable, in winter they're warmer than fancy fashionable
girl clothes, they look good enough that I feel good in them, and because
I'm not competing with the women who like to get all dolled up, I also get
the postive attention that I'm vain enough to want for my looks.

I'm well aware that some would consider this gender queer behaviour and
image. I'm sure for some people it is but for me it isn't because I'm so
cisgendered. I'm also aware that it shouts queer female to anyone that has a
clue but I don't mind that. I'm bi.

Amusingly my family doesn't seem to be aware that this could be considered
gender queer behaviour. They just think I look good and they have seen me in
both my tails and my frilly shirt (I don't wear them as the same outfit).
I'm not going to tell them.

Anita