Clothing.

In general, most of the thoughts people have of what humans "are supposed to look like" and "are supposed to wear" have nothing to do with the human you're observing and everything to do with you; how you see an article of clothing, how you see a represented gender, how you see a represented culture, how you see. You.

Do you understand how farcical it is to say "This strip of cloth (that is utterly meaningless outside of a human context) must clearly only be for one specific gender of human. And clearly, that style can't possibly change over the course of centuries and millenia and even if it did, what awareness do I need to have of what came before me? Pfah, foolish notion. No, no, what I was brought up with, why, that's the only thing that can possibly be right because somehow, I've never thought to challenge the assumptions I was given and then subsequently programmed to believe."

Do you understand how arbitrary your viewpoint is? Do you understand how... completely, utterly self-fulfilling it is? That it's circular logic?

"These clothes are for X people because these clothes are for X people".

 No. 

Those clothes are "for" X people because the general social zeitgeist you live in decided that would be the way it is and if you've ever studied history, you know it's usually for the most arbitrary of reasons that have nothing to do with what the flesh of humans cares for and everything to do with social statements.

And I say this while still participating in the system. By and large, I dress what's considered within social norms for my expressed gender. No one gets a choice in choosing the system they interact with, though, not when it comes to society at large.

What we do get to do is this. We can comment on the system as it exists. And I can't/won't tell you how to feel about it, that's on you. If you see something different, say so; we can talk about it.
I mean, that's the whole point, innit?

Random thought

I've been thinking about a term. It's one I grew up around and one that's followed me for most of my years. On a positive note, I haven't heard it nearly as often as I used to and that's something. But what's the phrase?

 Openly gay.

I've been wondering at its origin and at its intention. I've been wondering at it in general. I suppose it's a descriptor but... 'openly' in context of what? What closed standard do you desire and have set so firmly that the language you speak organically created a phrase like that? 

Unashamed. That's what they meant to say. 

"How can this person be... LIKE THAT... and not be ashamed? How can they be so open about it?"

And that's where some of the hatred comes from. They have observed another human being not heaping shame upon their own head like the observer would have preferred. It makes them uncomfortable to watch someone have the gall to be so unashamed. It makes them angry because they think whatever they've seen displayed is something that deserves a badge of shame that should never be taken off.

I repudiate that. I repudiate your shame and your guilt and call it for the petty and toxic behavior it is. 

That's yours. YOU keep it because I want no part of it.

Lay it at my feet and I'll kick it back in your face.

This blog started as a recipe blog. Something new for my husband and I to do together when we first moved in together. We still cook and you may see the odd recipe here and there but... I think I'd like to use this space to build a picture of the inside of my head. That will necessarily make it a reflection of my life. I've no idea what I'll do here.

but it's mine, so why not?