Olen kirjoittanut muutaman kerran runoilija-aktivisti Ashley Wyldesta. Hän on tunnettu muun muassa Youtube-kampanjastaan The Gender Tag Project, joka rohkaisee ihmisiä pohtimaan omaa sukupuoltaan, sukupuoli-identiteettiään ja tapaa, jolla näitä tuodaan esiin. Kampanjan tarkoituksena on lisätä ihmisten tietoutta sukupuolesta ja herättää keskustelua aiheesta. Olen tarttunut haasteeseen jo kerran kaksi vuotta sitten, kun Ashely julkaisi kampanjan, mutta ajattelin pysähtyä nyt pohtimaan aihetta uudestaan julkisella alustalla. Koska alkuperäinen haaste ja oppimani sukupuoli-terminologia ovat englanniksi, aion vastata kysymyksiin haasteen alkuperäiskielellä.
Keskustelu sukupuolista ja sukupuoli-identiteeteistä kaipaa avoimmuutta ja erilaisia näkökulmia, joita jokainen voi tuoda omalla uniikilla kokemuksellaan. Rohkaisen kaikkia tarttumaan haasteeseen Youtubessa, Facebookissa, blogissa tai muualla netissä, ihan mikä alusta tuntuu itselle parhaalta! Let’s talk about gender!
Ennen etenemistä kannattaa katsoa Ashelyn video siitä, kuinka haaste toteutetaan. Video sisältää tärkeää terminologiaa sekä taustaa aiheesta. Saatat oppia asian jos toisen sukupuolesta.
The Gender Tag
1. How do you self-identify your gender, and what does that definition mean to you?
I identify as a woman. To me, that means that I relate to the experiences other women have, relate to people identifying themselves as women, see myself in female fictional characters and feel like a woman. In my opinion, if you identify as a woman, you are a woman.
2. What pronouns honor you?
The pronouns that honor me are she/her/hers.
3. Describe the style of clothing that you most often wear.
My favourite pieces of clothing are skirts, dresses and hats. I dress typically feminine, I emphasize my breasts with low-cut necklines and enjoy wearing short hems and showing skin. I have been told to wear longer skirts and cover up, but I have always worn what feels right to me, since I dress only for myself.
I am rarely seen without my personal trademark, a hat, making me known as ”The hat girl”. I love strong colours in clothing, especially shades of red, and usually mix them with blacks, greys and whites to highlight them. Jewelry has always been part of my style and I don’t leave the house without at least earrings and rings. Opposite to many people I know, I don’t feel comfortable in sweatpants and I’m rarely seen in a hoodie or other often considered ”comfortable clothes”.
4. Talk about your choices with body hair. How do you style your hair? Do you have facial hair? What do you choose to shave, or choose not to shave?
I don’t use that many hair products, since I often wear a hat anyway. The only product I use weekly is hair powder, which makes my hair more puffy. I enjoy dying my hair and have done so since I was nine: my hair has been blonde, brunette, different shades of red and orange, brunette-blonde ombré, and lately different shades of pink. Right now my hair is dirty pink, fading to blonde. I enjoy trying out new things and am easily bored and in need for change. Since changing your haircolour is the easiest way to spice up your look and refresh your style, I do it quite often. I choose to shave my armpits, legs and bikini line for my own comfort and refuse to do it out of social pressure.
5. Talk about cosmetics. Do you choose to wear makeup? Do you paint your nails? What types of soaps and perfumes do you use if any?
I started wearing makeup relatively late compared to my friends and at first didn’t see the point in it, doing it out of social pressure and expectation. Now that I’m a grown-up, I have found the joy in putting on makeup. Makeup is a form of art. I can leave the house without makeup, but since putting on makeup is part of my morning routine and a part of ”me time”, being without it is a sign that I’m in a hurry or just too tired.
I am not a patient person, so painting my nails (more specifically letting them dry) is hard work. I enjoy having my nails done and painting my own nails from time to time, but every time I sit doing nothing while my nails dry, I remember why I don’t do it more often.
I love scented soaps, my current favourite being a fresh mint shower gel. My other favourite soap scents are chocolate, coconut, raspberry and raspberry-mint. I own many perfumes, my favourite being Taylor Swift’s Wonderstruck, which features raspberry, dewberry, green tea, freesia and apple blossom among other scents.
6. Have you experienced being misgendered? If so, how often?
I have been misgendered once as a young teenager, when I had long hair and so did the boy next door. A friend of his thought I was him for a second, no big deal.
7. Do you experience dysphoria? How does that affect you?
I have never experienced dysphoria.
8. Talk about children. Are you interested in having children? Would you want to carry a child if that were an option for you? Do you want to be the primary caretaker for any children you may have?
I have never wanted to have children nor being a mother has ever been a dream of mine. The world is strongly overpopulated and our environment cannot take it, so bringing more people to this world doesn’t seem like a smart idea to me. If I ever decided to have children, I would adopt, since many children are without a home and a family.
9. Talk about money. Is it important to you to provide for a family financially if you choose to have one? Is it important to you that you earn more than any partner you may have? Do you prefer to pay for things like dates? Are you uncomfortable when others pay for you or offer to pay for you?
I want to provide for myself and not depend on others financially. Ideally I would be completely independent, which is not the case at the moment as I am a student and have only project-based jobs. I don’t care whether I earn more or less than my partner, I consider it more important that we are equal in our relationship and pay for things together. I pay every other date, my partner every other. I am uncomfortable when other people pay for me and let them do it only every now and then, but am generous paying for other people.
10. Anything else you want to share about your experience with gender?
I am so grateful that I am in a position where I get to learn about gender and sex. I embrace the fact that there are multiple genders and consider myself educated on gender issues. I encourage everyone to educate themselves about sex, gender and sexuality to become more open to new ideas and identities, and to better reflect on themselves and their own identities.
Olisi hienoa nähdä muiden vastauksia näihin kysymyksiin! Tartu rohkeasti The Gender Tagiin, saatat oppia jotain uutta sukupuolesta ja itsestäsi!
Wine, words & lovers 