Poll

What is your sexual/romantic orientation?

Heterosexual
29 (69%)
Homosexual
6 (14.3%)
Bisexual
2 (4.8%)
Pansexual
0 (0%)
Hetero-romantic asexual
1 (2.4%)
Homo-romantic asexual
0 (0%)
Bi-romantic asexual
0 (0%)
Pan-romantic asexual
0 (0%)
Aromantic asexual
0 (0%)
Unsure / "it's complicated" / other
4 (9.5%)

Total Members Voted: 42

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Author Topic: Sexual Orientation  (Read 120303 times)

« Reply #30 on: October 23, 2012, 05:00:17 PM »
Implying that humans are analogous to colors. Colors don't think, they don't perceive, and they certainly don't have any opinions about what you call them.

Are you suggesting that we be more like colors?
« Last Edit: October 23, 2012, 05:06:57 PM by PaperLuigi »
Luigison: Question everything!
Me: Why?

Luigison

  • Old Person™
« Reply #31 on: October 23, 2012, 05:46:42 PM »
Besides, the colors we can actually see and have names for are in part based on our culture.  There are some tribes that have many names for shades of green and brown that we don't even perceive., but they don't have a name for blue and don't see it as a separate hue like Westerns do. 

<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4b71rT9fU-I" target="_blank">https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4b71rT9fU-I</a>

Similarly people that have been brought up to believe in a dichotomy think of things as black and white, wrong and right, straight and gay (not straight, queer, wrong, etc.) instead of realizing that there are many shades and hues of human sexuality. 

“Evolution has shaped us with perceptions that allow us to survive. But part of that involves hiding from us the stuff we don’t need to know."

« Reply #32 on: October 23, 2012, 06:07:14 PM »
Look at it this way, Weegee. Christians and Muslims both believe in god, but we don't lump them into one group because there are ways in which they're different (we also group Christians according to the doctrines they adhere to, i.e., Catholics, Methodists, Baptists, etc.). Same goes for bisexuals and pansexuals.
« Last Edit: October 23, 2012, 08:55:49 PM by PaperLuigi »
Luigison: Question everything!
Me: Why?

Sapphira

  • Inquiring
« Reply #33 on: October 23, 2012, 06:46:02 PM »
Interesting video, Luigison. I've always had difficulty categorizing "in-between" colors like turquoise (is it more blue or green?), fuchsia (magenta or purple?), and the color of mac 'n' cheese (orange or yellow?) And when I do use more descriptive color names, like periwinkle or cerulean or mauve or chartreuse, etc., a lot of people are just confused. Even magenta confuses some people, which I regard as a different color from pink, but falling under the same color category (pink being anywhere between dark magenta and light red). Defining what shades of red I like versus shades I do not like is also rather challenging, as I'm really picky about red-colored things (clothes/object color preferences). Similarly, I wonder if cyan should count as its own color or as a variant of blue.

Back on topic, I'm debating whether I should add something like "hetero bi-curious" (or "mostly hetero") and "homo bi-curious" (or "mostly homo") to the poll or just leave it as is. What do you guys think?
"The surest way to happiness is to lose yourself in a cause greater than yourself."

« Reply #34 on: October 23, 2012, 07:07:37 PM »
In ten years' time, we'll all be talking like this in regards to sexuality:

It feels like I’m the only female-bodied genderfluid only attracted to male-bodied individuals.
« Last Edit: October 23, 2012, 07:10:11 PM by Weegee »
YYur  waYur n beYur you Yur plusYur instYur an Yur Yur whaYur

Markio

  • Normal
« Reply #35 on: October 23, 2012, 07:42:21 PM »
A lot of people (like my genderqueer friend who's attracted only to women) choose to simplify by referring to themselves as "queer."  Queer is all-encompassing for any gender identity/sexuality for which there isn't already a category for.

If the list were to be expanded, then maybe "gay-leaning bi," and "straight-leaning bi" would work?  Most bisexual people I know are not in the very middle, and generally find themselves attracted more to one side of the gender spectrum than the other.  That's the other reason a lot of people use words other than "bisexual," as bi- implies a binary of only two options.
"Hello Kitty is cool, but I like Keroppi the best."

« Reply #36 on: October 23, 2012, 08:37:32 PM »
Non-genital Flesh Desires is a good band name.

ShadowBrain

  • Ridiculously relevant
« Reply #37 on: October 24, 2012, 04:16:00 PM »
Okay, I promise this is the last time I tl;dr and ask a specific question: what's genderqueer, again?

I know this is a relatively petty, ShadowBrainian reason to be irked by ever-broading delineation of the sexual spectrum, but I hate that feeling I get when I see a girl I consider attractive and start worrying that she's an... aromantic transsexual, or something. Eh, maybe I should just talk to women with more gusto, but it would be nice if we could collectively decide that asking someone's "orie" would be a socially-acceptable way to dictate where the rest of the relationship will go. Honestly, I decided at some point that a significant other is just a best friend you want to touch on a consistent basis, but courtship still still takes time and money.
"Mario is your oyster." ~The Chef

Markio

  • Normal
« Reply #38 on: October 24, 2012, 04:53:47 PM »
Genderqueer (aka gender-variant) means you identify somewhere between male and female, but not at either extreme.  If gender identity is a spectrum, and there are males at one end and females at another, then genderqueer people can be anywhere in the middle.  My aforementioned friend feels that she is about 40% male and 60% female.  Since we've met she has slowly come out of the closet even further, from bi to lesbian to kind of transgender lesbian, so...  I figure it doesn't affect our friendship because she's still fun to hang around with regardless of her gender identity or sexuality.
"Hello Kitty is cool, but I like Keroppi the best."

ShadowBrain

  • Ridiculously relevant
« Reply #39 on: October 24, 2012, 05:53:12 PM »
Ah... Alright. Well, as long as trans/"variant" people address me as "Grey", then I don't think I even really care.
"Mario is your oyster." ~The Chef

Sapphira

  • Inquiring
« Reply #40 on: October 24, 2012, 06:53:04 PM »
Wait, you mean your name isn't "Brian"? ;P

I feel so alone, looking at the results of the poll so far...  (I'm already pretty alone here, just by being a girl. :P )

Hmm... I have difficulty grasping the "40% male, 60% female" thing, I think. I mean, I have a lot of quirks/traits that are stereotypically "male" (more in a nerdy sense than, like the cliché "masculine," I guess (hah)), and I'm definitely not a "girly girl," but I most definitely identify as female. And I'm more comfortable looking feminine (jewelry, make-up, hair style, clothes styles, etc.).
Then again, I guess I think of my non-feminine traits as part of my personality rather than part of my gender identity. (Incidentally, I have the least common personality type for females. Heh.) Maybe rather than identifying as any part "male" I would identify as part "gender-neutral"? I dunno.

I'm just trying to wrap my head around the concept of gender-variant. I mean, I kind of get the "wrong gender in the wrong body" thing; if I were to suddenly wake up one day as a dude, I'm sure I would still think of myself as female, and thus be totally displaced and disoriented (pun intended). But I'm not sure I get the mixed percentages of gender identity.
« Last Edit: October 24, 2012, 11:15:34 PM by Sapphira »
"The surest way to happiness is to lose yourself in a cause greater than yourself."

Markio

  • Normal
« Reply #41 on: October 24, 2012, 07:57:33 PM »
Wah!  I just noticed I'm not the only gay person!  How exciting.

Rarest personality type for women?  Are you talkin' Myers-Briggs?  INFJ? (That's me!)

I suppose a genderqueer person only feels partially displaced in their body.  My friend regularly binds down her breasts, but not every day.  You're also correct in saying that your personality traits (or gender expression) are separate from your gender identity.  I identify as fully male, yet I've exhibited feminine traits (such as wearing nail polish once, or singing in a higher register).  Here's a really helpful youtube video that covers all the different subjects that have been brought up so far:
<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xXAoG8vAyzI" target="_blank">https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xXAoG8vAyzI</a>
"Hello Kitty is cool, but I like Keroppi the best."

« Reply #42 on: October 24, 2012, 08:40:02 PM »
Questions: Are sex-segregated restrooms discriminatory? Is a biologically male person who identifies as a woman entitled to use either bathroom? Should there be bathrooms specifically for trans* and/or agendered persons?
YYur  waYur n beYur you Yur plusYur instYur an Yur Yur whaYur

Suffix

  • Steamed
« Reply #43 on: October 24, 2012, 09:24:33 PM »
Thar's what the sex neutral restrooms are for. They're not exactly numerous, and we usually refer to them as handicapped restrooms, but if the decision is that tough, then that's the place to go, pun intended.

Sapphira

  • Inquiring
« Reply #44 on: October 24, 2012, 10:52:21 PM »
Yeah, Myers-Briggs. INTJ. Rarest for females, and like 3rd rarest over all, or something. INFJ, eh? Incidentally, that happens to be the rarest personality for males (and also in general). _NFJs tend to be pretty awesome, though.

Partially displaced, eh? Like it depends on the day or her mood or something? Hmm... This is be may kind of a weird/silly analogy, but I wonder if that's akin to the idea of "feeling" unattractive. Some days a person can feel ugly (or fat or something), other days they can feel "normal," other days they can feel "teh hawtness, rawr!" A lot of factors, either internal or external, can contribute to that feeling, even though one's over all appearance doesn't tend to change all that drastically from day to day. And regardless of how others may actually perceive said level of attractiveness. Granted, appearance is more subjective than gender—at least I would think so, but...
Perhaps gender-variant people—who I guess have a more fluid gender identity—can sometimes feel more male, sometimes more female from day to day?

Interesting and helpful video, I think, Markio. That guy talked really fast, though. X_x

Having more gender-neutral bathrooms would probably be a good idea. Not only for people with atypical identities, but also for people who take their young children to the bathroom. I mean, how awkward is it for a mom to bring her 5-year-old son into the ladies' room, or a dad to bring his 5-year-old daughter into the men's room? Likewise, how comfortable or appropriate or safe would it be for a parent to send their opposite-gendered small child into a public restroom by themselves?
« Last Edit: October 24, 2012, 11:18:28 PM by Sapphira »
"The surest way to happiness is to lose yourself in a cause greater than yourself."

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