The words "I identify as" is a political construct. It's purpose was strictly to create division and sew discord.
When you say I am, you are doing two things. One you're exerting your dominance. I am is a very powerful legal, and religious term. In religion it's always capitalized. I AM. In legal terms, I am the living man takes the power away from the state. That is why they hate when you use it. (The courts will call you a sovereign.) The same is true about almost anything. I am gay, bi, trans, male, female, etc. (You get a negative label.)
It has been used to divide us and to confuse us. I'm not trying to get political here or religious I'm trying to explain to you why the term I am, or I identify as, is very important to the state or religion, and more importantly YOU! When you say I am you are asserting ownership of you. When you say I identify as, you are playing into the political or religious norm.
It creates confusion and animosity. I am Christian, I am Muslim, I am Jewish, I am American, I am Russian, I am gay, I am straight, it is all a way of dividing us. People hate what they are not. History has proven this. Wars and slavery have existed because of this division and hate. But when you say I am you have taken away someone else's power over you.
One of the greatest examples is when a child becomes an adult and tells their parent; I am an adult you cannot tell me what to do anymore. Your parents get angry at you. It's the same thing when you tell a cop I am an adult you can't tell me what to do. They get angry and exert power over you because you are exerting power over yourself.
Never say "I identify as". If you truly believe you are something, say it.
I am a dragon. I am a Therian . I am a Therian Deist.
The only way any of you or anyone else in this world will have any power over me is because you use force. Religion uses the force of condemning your soul, governments use the force of putting you in jail. Never deny you what you are because you are afraid of what someone will say or do to you.
I AM. The most powerful words you can ever say.