I've been thinking about identity a lot lately, and especially self-identification- not strange for a person who studies queer theory and American identity for a job! There are so many labels that I have chosen for myself over the years, in relation to my sexuality: bisexual. pansexual. femme. polyamorous. switch. submissive...
What do all these labels really mean? Are they who I am, or simply a discriptor of actions I have taken, or will take, or dream of taking? Is there something deep within me that drives me towards feminine women (bio or trans) and masculine (bio or trans) men? Is there something in my DNA that drives me to want to share my love with more than one person, or is really just an intellectual, ethical choice?
So many questions I hope to explore. First, I'd liked to look at what these labels mean to me: are they useful? What do they mean? What is identity, anyway? Does it effect my experiences?
And I'd love to hear from anyone who might happen to stumble across this page... How do you identify sexually? What does it mean to you? Is it an essence, or just a reflection of our experience? I'd love to hear your thoughts.