day 4: on being a dyke
since i first realized i was not straight, i've gone through many terms to describe the way i felt. bisexual, omnisexual, queer, all before finally landing on lesbian. labels are tricky. on the one hand, why many people seem to be anti-label, these terms serve to classify human beings, placing them into rigid boxes. in some situations, subdividing a community into sections can, well, divide that community and prevent them from being together and operating as a group. i have seen this in action through discourse and discrimination inside of the queer community, and i agree with the anti-labelers to a certain extent. no word or term should ever surpass in importance the love and connection that it is used to describe, and i don't want to engage with the notion that the name is more important than the feeling. on the other hand, as a word-nerd and lover, i think labels can foster meaningful community in and of themselves. speaking from experience, the lesbian community is one of the most beautiful groups of people i have ever had the pleasure of being a part of. i am so proud to exist within the context of my dyke foremothers and everything they worked towards, so i can love my lady loud and proud! i love being a lesbian; i love being a butch; i love being a dyke. i find solace in these terms because they help to connect me to the rich history (and ongoing present!) of my community. i feel connected to these words because my being a dyke is such an integral part of my identity, and it only feels right i put a name to it.