Perhaps Labels Are Important

[melissacd]

I have been doing research to find those who are similar to myself, a cross dresser who loves to live en femme as much as possible but is not interested in taking hormones or having SRS and in my research I found that in fact having labels for who we are and what we do in fact aids in the process of finding information relevant to my search.

I know that many have poo-poo-ed the use of labels to define who we are, how we live, etc...but it finally struck me that they are in fact important if you have any hope of finding what you want to learn and know about. Without these classifications where do we start?

Now I know that we are not our labels, that we are unique individuals, one different from the other and I am not suggesting that we use labels to pigeon hole anyone into any stereotype because we are all different and our paths are as unique as the number of people on this planet and yet to a certain extent, within some level of constraint that a label implies, I do find it useful to get in to the ball park because then I can read what I find and see if it applies to me. I find that I get more successes than failures using these labels to help aid me on my journey.

Huggs
Melissa

[Erica2Sweet]

...they are in fact important if you have any hope of finding what you want to learn and know about. Without these classifications where do we start?
...

Absolutely true.

Generally speaking, whether we like it or not, labels aid in making sense of a very complex world full of complex people. They are a necessary part of communication and aren't going anywhere soon... They may evolve and change, but are always needed if humans are to continue to socialize with one another, study history, and wage war.

[sherri]

In addition to the purpose they are serving you, and expanding on what the lovely Erica said, I think some kind of nomenclature is necessary and even helpful when answering questions and discussing TG things with the uninitiated. People who don't understand but want to seem to instinctively seek labels as a way of comprehending. Honestly, without some sort of linguistic shorthand the dialog can just bog down.

The thing to watch out for, however, is tossing out labels without clarifying what they mean to you and your listener. I often find that there are some attendant myths and preconceived notions that have to be clarified or disspelled altogether before meaningful dialog can take place. And too, the ultimate goal is to eventually get past the labels so that people just see you as a person -- albeit an incredibly attractive, sexy and interesting person, which are definitely labels I can live with :) -- and behave accordingly.

[sissystephanie]

For the purposes you stated, labels are very necessary. One just has to be careful how you apply them to others, or even to yourself!

[theresa]

Totally agree. Labels are useful to help organize and retrieve information. They are not useful for making value judgements about people.

[Miranda09]

I would tend to agree, in principle, about needing labels to locate info on learning about who you are. It has helped me tremendously on my journey, and led me here! But, when it comes to labeling me, personally, I have no need for labels, except one...Happy!! :)

[linnea]

Yeppers, labels have a useful and often necessary function.

[MissKara]

Just like above, I agree in the use of Labels, it is needed for information storage and retirval (Like Tags on blog posts) BUT it has the side effect of making it easier to single out a particular labeled group. Its a double edged sword in my opinion :(

Lots of Love,
Miss Kara

[sterling12]

If using labels really helps you, be my guest! I'm not going to tell you not to do that, that's not My Right to do so.

But, having read more than my share of "scholarly" books and articles about us; I find that most of them are written by College professors looking to enhance their income and prestige. They seem "driven" to come up with new and trendy "labels" to define us. I think it is done for Ego, and to enhance their standing in Academe'.

The only problem? "They ain't us!" They don't know us and at best most of their work is done in The Abstract. I think it's a Crock when someone defines us as one of two choices "Autogynefiliac or Sissyboy CD." And, I could site you examples that are far worse. We are often "labeled" and treated as experimental models for their own edification, about The Equivalent of lab rats.

I think that most of these people should be writing about how to treat Society for obvious symptoms of prejudice and intolerance. Maybe they are afraid of putting labels on a much larger group that just might fight back. I guess its a lot easier to pontificate about us.

I'm not angry about The Labels, just fed-up with The Nonsense, and very disappointed that people take so much of that Claptrap seriously.

Peace and Love, Joanie

[rayander01]

Totally agree. Labels are useful to help organize and retrieve information. They are not useful for making value judgements about people.

Great coment. Unfortunately too many people do not understand this concept.





Rey

[TabbyJames]

I think that lables are important if only to research and find what we are looking for. Athlete = jock, druggie = stoner, Tabby = transgendered transvestite crossdressing heterosexual femiphiliac

[melissacd]

I appreciate all of your replies. Thank you for the input.

Sterling, I agree with your comment about there being a number of things out there written by people who do not understand. Part of our job in our research is to apply critical thinking to what we ourselves find so that we can separate the nonsense from the good bits of information. The labels only help in the search of data, the mind then has to assess what it finds. Thank you for your wonderful insights.

Melissa

[Kate Simmons]

Melissa, I use labels as a point of reference only. As you say it aids in getting information as a person may fit in a certain "type" according to societal definitions. That is where labels end for myself, however. I think of a person as who they are and not "what' others think they are. You are my friend Melissa for instance and that is how I consider you, even though I know you a bit more than some others do and know you as your total self in a full spectrum sort of way.:)

[Frédérique]

I know that many have poo-poo-ed the use of labels to define who we are, how we live, etc...but it finally struck me that they are in fact important if you have any hope of finding what you want to learn and know about. Without these classifications where do we start?

Yes, I think labels serve a purpose, mainly a rough starting point for one’s personal journey into the interior. The problem is with the accuracy of the labels, wouldn’t you say? You have to start with very broad classifications, and then hack your way through a lot of stuff that has nothing to do with your own situation, until you find a tiny speck of connection with something. Without labels, this would be a more difficult task – indeed, I’m here because I knew the term “crossdresser” describes my lifestyle, again in a somewhat broad sense. Being among all types of crossdressers, I can see there are only a handful of members that approach this compulsion the same way I do, but I knew this was the case before I came here. So, labels got me here, and it’s amusing to see how these inaccurate labels are discussed, dismissed, defended, dusted-off, denuded, or discarded by those who take things seriously. It’s all part of the game, I suppose. I could talk at length about the labels placed on artists, since I happen to be one, but this is the wrong forum for that discussion… :naughty