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Peaceful Dave's avatar

In 1967 when I enlisted in the Marine Corps one of the questions that was asked was, "Have you ever committed a homosexual act?" That question goes to the heart of "is Feffy's husband homosexual?" What's in a word? Does it shine a light on honesty?

Is a person who is attracted to the opposite sex who has a one-time homosexual experience a homosexual? Heterosexual? Bi-sexual? The military questionnaire didn't ask about any of those identities, it asked about a homosexual act having taken place. If I was sexually attracted to a beautiful and passing non-transitioned transwoman and had sex with her in an act that included her penis would the answer to that question be, yes? I think that it would. Which of those identities should I claim? Which would others assign? Does it really matter? It does to the people who think identity is important. I don't dismiss that just because it is not a matter of importance to me.

I doubt that that question is still on enlistment/induction questionnaires, but it shines a light on Feffy's identity issue. If it is complicated for people without gender dysphoria, think of what a quagmire it is for the gender dysphoric.

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Ruth Koger's avatar

Omg, Steve. You are intelligent, curious, compassionate, and, above all, patient. The deal with language and pronouns and descriptions of who we are is mind boggling, to say the least. You are an extremely wise and persistent voice in observing and articulating truth in perspectives.

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