The right to define yourself

Samuel Witchbridge
Aug 9, 2017 · 2 min read

What other, more fundamental right is the one to define yourself?

Yet, though we have seen some advances, (and retreats), this right still seems strangely elusive.

Is identity decided by the individual, or by society? I would rather live in a society where the individual determines their identity.

Is it really that difficult and unthinkable to refer to others by the pronouns with which they identify themselves? Is there not some core of common human decency that will allow you to learn and respect the identity of another human being?

Or is it just easier to slap them into the male/female bucket based upon their appearance? Are you really that lazy and uninterested in a fellow human being to learn a little more about them and treat them with the respect they deserve?

I am a cisgender male, so some may think I “have no horse in this race”. But, to me, this is a human issue. The right to define oneself applies to all human beings. If anyone’s right to define themselves is being denied, then all human’s rights to define themselves are being denied. It’s not us versus them. I do not view the fight for Gay Marriage as anything other than the fight for one adult to marry another. This is something that affects us all.

Stand up and define yourself. Stand up for others who also define themselves, though they may be different than the societal norms you were brought up with; you are also standing-up for your own rights. Everyone has a right to define themselves as they wish. If you can’t defend that, then you let society define who you are, and you are sheep.

Addendum: I’m just so frustrated with this supposed need to segregate everyone into different categories based upon birth genitalia/sexual preference. Why can’t we all just be humans loving humans? No race, sexual distinction; if you love someone, you love them. There is no litmus test to pass. Can we please move into the 21st century?

Addendum 2: I do have a horse in this race, and that is the right to define myself. The push for LGBTQIA+ rights is not a marginal cause, it is a push for human rights. We all have a horse in this race.

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