So, I was thinking that maybe I wanted to write a post talking about how we approach social categorization (e.g. what it means to be male, what it means to be Latino, etc.), but I’m realizing: I don’t actually understand that much at all? There is a ton of talk about gender these days, but I don’t think I understand (at least at anything other than a vibes level) what people who say their gender is G (for some value of G) mean by that statement, or to what extent there even is or should be a shared understanding of what that means. (I mean, there obviously isn’t a shared understanding, given the political divide on that question, but I don’t think the left has a shared understanding within itself. The right probably does, though.)

Probably I should reread Whipping Girl; I feel like it had some useful ways of approaching that question? But I also would be surprised if the ideas in there were anything like a consensus approach, even on the leftist side of opinions.

Anyways, just a placeholder post noting my confusion. Probably just as well that it’s only a placeholder: given the amount of tension around the subject, that reduces the amount that I can put my foot in my mouth…

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