Acts and Identities

Im Gay....

Powerful statement right? There's a lot of feelings and emotions that go along with this word when it comes to dealing with people in society. Just saying the word out loud gives me a feeling in the pit of my stomach that stirs up all kinds of emotions. The word has so much gravity to it that we as a society seem to personify it and make it its own entity. The word 'gay' takes on its own persona that envelops a person and everything they do to a point where that person is no longer themselves but the identifier that they choose to be. It's not just about being yourself; it's about being your GAY self. Which completely changes everything about you in our society right?

When I look over how people depict other people in my everyday life its a sad reality how many of us make certain assumptions about a person solely based on what they do. It's not even just about being gay, black, white, man, woman, or whatever you identifier is; it's the societal expectation that goes along with being that identifier that gets me. Like when someone says to a black person 'Why are you speaking like that?Are you trying to act white?' Why would you imply that black people should speak with a slang and sound ignorant simply because they're black? Better yet, when someone assumes a man is emotionless because they are a male. Or conversely, when they assume a woman is weak and emotional just because she is a female.

When people confuse acts and identities with a person's true personality, it gets to be an uncomfortable situation for most because they don't define that person most of the time. My being gay doesn't define my identity; it's just an act that I choose to partake in. How I speak doesn't define me as a black man or 'what I'm trying to be' in any way shape or form, but rather shows how I choose to express myself. Being a man or a woman doesn't relegate you to certain character traits or beliefs; they just let you know if you have a penis or a vagina. (Crass I know but you get the point lol)

Most of the beliefs people have about others is mostly based on stereotypes and other preconceived notions that usually end up being false anyway. Most of the acts I choose to do in my life don't necessarily define me as a person because they only show one facet of my life in particular situations. And because I'm human I can never be confined to a one dimensional description of my personality or identifier.

So I guess the next time someone asks whether im gay or not....I'll reply 'I'm not gay, I'm Kyle...complex individual'

Until next time folks '...Keep calm and carry on'