Labels

[flexibeast]

i recently made a post to the Trans-Academics Google group which included a discussion about labels, the relevant excerpt of which i reproduce here:

i wanted to discuss the notion that "[u]ltimately it's only a label". i'm afraid i must disagree. Labels - in the form of nouns and pronouns, for example - seem to be an integral part of human communication; and we use those labels to convey certain properties of an object. Thus, although some people claim that we should dispense with labels altogether, i feel this is problematic for at least two reasons:

* The ability to reject labels such that other people do not label one requires a certain amount of privilege. Many - perhaps even most? - non-heteronormative people do not have the luxury of being in communities in which they can say "Don't label me" and people respond with "Oh, okay, you defy teh categorisations, no worries". Instead, non-conforming people tend to be given labels of deviancy, whether we like it or not.

* Even if its possible to move towards a society where such labels are no longer used, it's important to acknowledge that those labels have been, and continue to be used, as designators of those are discriminated against, harrassed and/or oppressed. To me, simply demanding that we move past labels, such that (for example) no distinction is made between cisgendered and transgendered people, is to suggest that we should just dismiss the fact that cisgendered people /have/ benefited, and continue to benefit, from cis privilege in a way that trans people haven't and don't. Thus, i feel that it's inappropriate to suggest that we move to a linguistic level playing field when the playing field of daily experience is definitely /not/ level for many people.

So my preferred strategy is to accept the existence of labels per se, and instead contest which labels heteronormative ideology deems to be 'appropriate' / 'sensible' and 'inappropriate' / 'nonsensical'. This is, in practice, what many people in the trans communities do: we are often told that we're not 'really' men or not 'really' women, and we typically dispute such claims stridently.

Comments

[radicalyffe.livejournal.com]

I like labels. I find them interesting and at times useful.

I hate the way people like to create borders for their labels, and then fight to the death over who's allowed to use the label.

My ultimate approach to labels is: use as many or as few as you like, and don't take offense at anyone elses.

[eumelia.livejournal.com]

I think I made a very similar post a while ago, one could probably find it in my tags.
And I'm in total agreement with you on the privilege rejecting labels and pigeonholes. It's only when you're not labeled and pigeonholed are you able to reject it. When you, because of who you are, are boxed in, you must define yourself so that you don't remain subjugated by the box and label imposed on you.
Hence labeling yourself in your own identity.

In other words, yes to what you said.

[flexibeast.livejournal.com]

It's only when you're not labeled and pigeonholed are you able to reject it. When you, because of who you are, are boxed in, you must define yourself so that you don't remain subjugated by the box and label imposed on you.

Very nicely put!

My 0.54$

[winterkoninkje.livejournal.com]

The privilege to eschew labels is a final line of defense for those who feel their own labels are under siege. As a rhetorical manoeuvre it's a spectacularly well crafted defense at that. By claiming to reject labels they can appear (perhaps even to themselves) to support those who endure the slurs, and yet because of the uneven playing field denying the use of those labels serves to elide them once again. Tragically this scenario isn't limited to those with mainstream labels, but also happens when people argue over who gets to be called "gay", "queer", "trans", or a "woman".

The human psyche is uniquely attuned to categorizing and finding patterns. Because of this we'll never be free of labels, they're necessary and natural for the way our minds work. Given that, the arguments over labels are quite literally arguments over power: over whose categories are accepted as the norm, over whose perceptions are "right".

Tis a damn shame too.

Re: My 0.54$

[flexibeast.livejournal.com]

And a fine $0.54 it is too! Thanks. :-)