NWC Day 13: Queer

Lucky number 13! Triskaidekaphobics beware! I'm really enjoying this daily writing challenge, which is like doing NaNoWriMo without having to adhere to a plot, story development, character motivation, word count... okay, so it's completely different. Aside from also occurring in November. Which is nearly half-over. What the hell? Wait. Is that pessimistic? Like saying the glass is half-empty? Should I say instead that we have 17 glorious days of November left, which include Saturdays (always good), my birthday (even better), and Thanksgiving (NOMZ!)? I guess that does sound better. Two weeks and three days left! All good except for the impending doom of Black Friday and its incessant advertising. But then it will be over and everyone will be home with their $40 flat-screen TVs and I will still be drunk on pie from the day before.

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Prompt #13: Queer. What does that word symbolize for you?

For me, "queer" is pretty much just a synonym for gay. I'm out of the loop where some LGBT people identify as queer instead of gay, lesbian, etc. I was recently schooled by Phoenix about the way some people in our community label themselves, including terms I don't use like cisgender or female-presenting. (This glossary is excellent and educational.) In NO way am I saying I have an issue with those terms or people who use them; they're not part of my lexicon because, frankly, I only learned what some of them were. I fully recognize I have the privilege of being born into a body I feel I belong in (that is, born female and happy about it). I identify as a lesbian, generally pass for straight (however irritatingly, especially when I'd like to catch the eye of the cute butch who recently delivered cheese fries to my door), and would probably be considered fairly femme. (Unless you're one of the folks who has inexplicably called me sir or "si-- ma'am," which sounds like smam.) I'm glad I haven't had gender identity issues, probably because being a big girl, being biracial, and/or having people comment on my "weird" (unusual, odd, never-heard-that-before!) name is enough some days, thankyouverymuch. As my blog tagline details, I assign plenty of labels to myself. I don't really need anymore. I already don't know what info to include on my business cards.