Duncan's Blog

COMING TO YOU IN CAPS

BEFORE I BEGIN MY TIRADE, LET ME PULL A WORD FROM THE DICTIONARY.

convention [ kuhn-ven-shuhn ]
noun
a large formal meeting or assembly, as of members, representatives, or delegates, for discussion of and action on particular matters of common concern:
In 1932 he was elected president of the Missouri State Medical Association at its annual convention.

a large meeting of people with a common interest, as in a particular recreational activity:
The site is a fan's resource for finding upcoming comic, gaming, and sci-fi conventions throughout the world.

U.S. Politics. a representative party assembly to nominate candidates and adopt platforms and party rules.

a rule, method, or practice established by usage; custom:
In Social Studies, the second graders learned the convention of showing north at the top of a map.

general agreement or consent; accepted usage, especially as a standard of procedure:
Certain uses of the comma have become established by convention.

accepted practice that has become removed from naturally occurring behavior; conventionalism:
As young, second-career farmers, they're not bound by convention, and their land isn't a traditional farm.

I REFER TO THE LAST THREE DEFINITIONS. THEY DESCRIBE ACCEPTED USAGE, ESTABLISHED USAGE, RULES, METHODS, ETC. FOR SOME REASON--AND SEEMINGLY OUT OF NOWHERE--PEOPLE IN BUSINESS AND ON CASUAL CELL PHONE COMMUNICATIONS HAVE ADDRESSED THEIR OUTRAGE WHEN A WRITER OPTS TO WRITE IN CAPITAL LETTERS (HEREAFTER SIMPLY REFERRED TO AS CAPS).
I GREW UP WITH CAPS. THEY WERE THE GOLDEN STANDARD ON STREET SIGNS IN SAN FRANCISCO (UNTIL SOME A**WIPE DECIDED TO CHANGE THEM).


THEY ARE USED ON STORE SIGNAGE

THEY CAN BE SEEN ON BILLBOARD ADVERTISEMENTS


THEY ARE THE EXCLUSIVE CASE USED ON SCRABBLE BOARDS. (SORRY, HIP FORUMS WON'T
LET ME COPY ANY MORE PICTURES).
IN MANY COUNTRIES IN EUROPE, THE LAST (OR SURNAME) IS WRITTEN IN CAPS TO DISTINGUISH IT FROM ONE'S xTIAN NAME.
YOU MAY ALSO REMEMBER HAVING TO FILL OUT STANDARD FORMS THAT REQUIRE YOU TO FILL IN A LETTER IN A BUBBLE WITH YOUR #2 PENCIL ? THESE SCANTRON FORMS INDICATE THAT LETTERS MUST BE WRITTEN IN BLOCK PRINT FORMAT. YOU KNOW WHAT THAT MEANS, RIGHT? IT MEANS ALL IN CAPS !
SO WHAT IS THE BIG DEAL THAT DRIVES SO MANY PEOPLE APES**T WHEN SOMEONE WRITES SOMETHING IN CAPS? THE RESPONSE IS, "WHY ARE YOU SHOUTING AT ME?"
DO THESE SAME PEOPLE FEEL AS IF THEY WERE GETTING A SHOUT OUT WHEN SOMETHING WERE UNDERLINED OR WRITTEN IN ITALICS?
IT'S A MYSTERY TO ME. AND QUITE HONESTLY, I HAVE REFUSED AND CONTINUE TO IGNORE THE REQUEST TO STOP. MY USAGE IS MINIMAL, BUT I AM NOT GOING TO GIVE UP A WRITING STYLE THAT WORKS FOR ME TO CATER TO OR KOWTOW TO THE OUTCRIES OF THIS SAMPLE GROUP.

On its surface, it sounds like a(n) harmless enough question. But whenever anyone would ask me this and would receive the standard answer of, "No," what would follow would be a survey of questions to learn more about the absence of the practice.

If I retort with, "Do you smoke?" a simple answer in the negative would be enough. There would be no need for further discussion. I'm not asking the person if he/it/they/she vapes, or was a pack a day puffer, or rolled tobacco onto Zigzag paper, or picked up bogies or stogies from the curb.

I would say that I was never a drinker, that I am not in any rehabilitative program, and that I am not using any drugs that would interact negatively with alcohol. So why the 20 questoins?

In reality, my consumption is during rituals. This includes welcoming the Sabbath or the participation of Wiccan and pagan activities. We are talking about 3-4 tablespoons of red wine. This is not the consumption of drink to down with heavy foods nor is it a wine that has any mind-altering purpose. I have never been drunk or hung over and other than fatigue, I have never wanted to be in a condition wherein I couldn't drive a car.

The only other time in my life when the absence of something (except for marriage and/or having children) had come up was when I was living a vegetarian life. I made all of my meals and I did rigorous meal planning. I ate tofu, and texturized vegetable protein, bought whole grains for hot cereals, and supported organic farming. But people look at you like you are putting toxins into your body. I remember sitting next to a friend of my Mother who told me that she would never touch bean curd. "I don't eat processed foods." Then she took a nice big chomp into her undercooked cut of London broil that had blood dripping all over the plate. "Yeah," I thought to myself, "straight from the hoof to your intestinal tract without a moment of 'processing'!"

It was never part of my culture growing up. And when I hit my late teenage years and early 20s, I discovered bars and the folks who live in them. I did not want any part of that in my life.

I am now 64-and-change and none the worse for wear (or lack thereof).

You're familiar--I'm sure--with some of the initials. You know where it was going after the first three were written. Why so many?
When I was much younger, folks would ask, "Why do you have to say gay and lesbian? I thought lesbians were gay; just women."
Well, that's true. And these days, the language is leaning more towards referring to men and/or women as 'persons' rather than by the old gender constructs.
I've pretty much stayed in the male body I got at birth. Becoming gay was not an easy path. Even at 60+, I seldom speak of it. Within my own circle of those whom I trust, trust can be questionable. I share my orientation and feelings with few because, well, I don't need or want someone to be a spokesman for me... and I don't want to be a spokesman to the RAINBOW coalition.
I've copied a page from a website that has a blog and for now I will just note the website location ... Ensuring the Future of At-Risk Youth - The Annie E. Casey Foundation ... Anyone interested in finding the source will have to do his/her/their/its own research.
I don't know these definitions by heart. Some I would simply refuse to endorse. "Queer," for example is not something that I would choose to use in any manner of parlance. It's down there with faggot. <SHRUG>
I join fewer and fewer exclusively gay organisations or groups. Most of them, I feel, don't speak for me. The groups are greatly diverse within and among themselves. Distinctions of age, culture, heritage, race, health status, marital status... just the tip of the iceberg when it comes to trying to pigeon-hole oneself or to feel like a piece of a full mosaic.
Some of us don't conform to other stereotypes. I don't sing, dance, paint, or create anything original. I have no interest in music or the arts. My cooking is generally simple and usually expresses itself as bland. I like it that way.
Needles to say, someone who lives on bland cuisine might be a bit intimidated or overwhelmed by all of these initials. They are part of my ever-growing gay family. Never quite sure what to do with all of this information, but I do like to have it on hand.


Defining LGBTQ Terms and Concepts
UPDATED ON APRIL 25, 2023 AND ORIGINALLY POSTED JUNE 3, 2021
BY THE ANNIE E. CASEY FOUNDATION





Growing up can be hard. Growing up identifying as lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer or questioning (LGBTQ) is even harder, according to national data. Also referred to as LGBTQIA+, these terms include lesbian, gay, bisexual, trans, queer, questioning, intersex, asexual and more identities.

Young people in the LGBTQ community face higher rates of rejection, violence, suicide and homelessness when compared to their general population peers. LGBTQ youth are also overrepresented in the child welfare and juvenile justice systems and more likely to drop out of school than their fellow classmates.

This post defines some common terms — and promotes the use of accurate, authentic and inclusive language — so that social workers, educators, foster parents and others are better equipped to support LGBTQ youth, serve as their advocates and help them thrive.

SEXUAL AND GENDER IDENTITY TERMS TO KNOW
Agender Gender Expression Queer
Ally Gender Fluid Questioning
Asexual Gender Identity Sex
Bigender Gender Neutral Sexual Orientation
Bisexual Gender Nonconforming SOGIE
Cisgender Heterosexual Straight
Coming Out Homosexual Transgender
Enby Intersex Transgender (or Trans) Man
Gay Lesbian Transgender (or Trans) Woman
Gender LGBTQ Transition
Gender Affirming Surgery Nonbinary Two Spirit
Gender Dysphoria Pansexual
AGENDER
Describes a person who does not identify as male or female or some combination of male and female. Some agender individuals see themselves as genderless, while others see themselves as gender neutral.

ALLY
Describes a person who supports, both publicly and privately, the LGBTQ community and equality in its many forms. Heterosexual and cisgender people can be allies, as well as individuals from within the LGBTQ community.

ASEXUAL
Describes a person who is not sexually attracted to others and has no desire to engage in sexual behavior. Asexuality differs from celibacy in that a person who is celibate is sexually attracted to others but chooses to abstain from sex. Sometimes, asexual is abbreviated as “ace.”

BIGENDER
Describes a person who has two genders. People who are bigender may experience two gender identities at the same time or at different times. These gender identities can be binary — male and female — or include nonbinary identities.

BISEXUAL
Describes a person who is attracted to both men and women. A person does not need to have had specific sexual experiences — or any sexual experience — to identify as bisexual.

CISGENDER
Describes a person whose gender identity matches the sex — male or female — originally identified on their birth certificate (i.e., people who are not transgender). Cisgender, which is pronounced sis-gender, describes only a person’s gender identity — not their sexual or romantic attractions. Sometimes, cisgender is abbreviated as “cis” in casual conversation.

COMING OUT
Describes the process of a person first coming to understand their own sexual orientation, then revealing it to others. However, it is not necessary to have sexual experiences or to even tell others in order to come out. One may be out to just one’s self. Coming out is often correlated with rates of youth homelessness.

ENBY
Describes a person who does not identify as exclusively male or exclusively female and usually prefers“they” as a pronoun. Enby is the phonetic pronunciation of“NB,” which stands for nonbinary. Not all nonbinary individuals prefer or use this term.

GAY
Describes a person who is attracted, emotionally and/or physically, to someone of the same gender. The term can be used by men, women or individuals who identify as nonbinary. A person does not need a specific sexual experience — or any sexual experience — to identify as gay.

GENDER
A social construct used to classify a person as a man, woman or some other identity. Fundamentally different from sex assigned at birth, gender is often closely related to the role that a person plays or is expected to play in society.

GENDER AFFIRMING SURGERY
A surgical procedure that enables an individual’s body to be more congruent with their gender identity. Also referred to as sex reassignment surgery or gender confirming surgery.

GENDER DYSPHORIA
Describes the extreme discomfort that a person feels because their assigned sex at birth does not match their gender identity. This sense of unease or dissatisfaction can cause depression and anxiety and negatively impact an individual’s daily life.

GENDER EXPRESSION
How individuals communicate their gender to others through their clothing, speech, mannerisms and other factors. Gender expression is not the same thing as gender identity. A person can express one gender yet identify with another.

GENDER FLUID
Describes a person whose gender expression or gender identity — or both — changes over time. Not everyone whose gender identity or expression changes identifies as gender fluid.

GENDER IDENTITY
A person’s internal identification as male, female, something in between or something other than the two conventional gender options. A person’s gender identity is not visible to others and can match or differ from their assigned sex at birth.

GENDER NEUTRAL
Describes not identifying as being of a particular gender. It can apply to several different aspects of life. People who identify as gender neutral typically don’t subscribe to gender stereotypes and may use the pronouns “they/them/their” as well as others.

GENDER NONCONFORMING
Describes a person who does not adhere to the traditional expectations — in terms of their appearance or behavior — of their assigned gender. Some of these individuals identify as transgender but others, for example, masculine lesbians, do not.

HETEROSEXUAL
Describes a person who is attracted — physically and emotionally — to individuals of the opposite sex. Otherwise known as a straight person.

HOMOSEXUAL
Describes a person who is attracted — physically and emotionally — to people of the same sex. This term is outdated and disfavored in the LGBTQ community, as it was commonly used to ostracize others.

INTERSEX
Describes a person born with sex characteristics that are not typical for male or female bodies. Sex characteristics are physical features relating to sex — including chromosomes, genitals, hormones and other reproductive anatomy — as well as secondary features that emerge from puberty. Intersex is an umbrella term, and intersex characteristics and traits are not always apparent or identified at birth. The “I” in the longer version of LGBTQ (LGBTQIA+) stands for intersex.

LESBIAN
Describes a woman who is attracted, emotionally and/or physically, to other women. A woman does not need a specific sexual experience — or any sexual experience — to identify as a lesbian.

LGBTQ
An acronym used to describe lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer or questioning persons or the community. Avoid using the term“gay community,” as it does not accurately account for the community’s diversity.

NONBINARY
Describes a person whose gender identity falls outside of the two-gender construct (male or female). For example, nonbinary can describe an individual whose gender changes over time, who does not identify as male or female or who associates with elements of both genders. Some individuals who identify as nonbinary prefer the term enby.

PANSEXUAL
Describes a person who is attracted to — or has the potential to be attracted to — people of any gender or gender identity. This attraction can be emotional or physical.

QUEER
An adjective used by some people, particularly younger people, whose sexual orientation is not exclusively heterosexual. Queer was once used a pejorative term and has been reclaimed by some — but not all — members of the LGBTQ community.

QUESTIONING
Describes a person who is still discovering and exploring their sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression or some combination thereof. Using this term enables an individual to identify as part of the LGBTQ community while avoiding other labels and recognizing that their process of self-identification is still underway.

SEX
The classification of a person as male or female. At birth, babies are assigned a sex that typically corresponds with their external anatomy. Yet an individual’s sex is influenced by a larger combination of factors, including their chromosomes, genes, hormones, reproductive organs and secondary sex characteristics.

SEXUAL ORIENTATION
An enduring emotional and/or physical attraction (or non-attraction) to other people. Sexual orientation is fluid and encompasses a variety of labels, including gay, lesbian, heterosexual, bisexual, pansexual and asexual.

SOGIE
An acronym for sexual orientation, gender identity and gender expression. Every person has a sexual orientation, gender identity and gender expression.

STRAIGHT
Describes a man who is attracted to women or a woman who is attracted to men. Can be used as a synonym for heterosexual.

TRANSGENDER
Describes a person whose gender identity and/or gender expression do not match their assigned sex at birth. Transgender people may be straight, lesbian, gay, bisexual or queer.

TRANSGENDER (OR TRANS) MAN
Describes a person who was assigned a female sex at birth but identifies as male. This person may or may not actively identify as trans.

TRANSGENDER (OR TRANS) WOMAN
Describes a person who was assigned a male sex at birth but identifies as female. This person may or may not actively identify as trans.

TRANSITION
A complex process by which transgender people align their anatomy (medical transition) and gender expression (social transition) with their gender identity. Transitioning is a multiple-step process that occurs over a long period of time. It can include such steps as using a different name, using new pronouns, dressing differently, updating legal documents, hormone therapy and surgery. The exact steps involved in a person’s transition varies.

TWO SPIRIT
Describes a person who identifies as having both a masculine and a feminine spirit. It is used by some Native American and Alaska Native people to describe their sexual, gender and/or spiritual identity. It may encompass same-sex attraction and also include relationships that could be considered poly.

I like to think that I've had enough education to be able to correct poor grammar in English. That's why I laugh myself silly when I hear a commercial on television that has pretty questionable language.
Viking Cruises has a line in their ad in which they claim to be named number one for both rivers and oceans. When I heard that, my first response was, "I think there are more than two of them." Sadly, many people didn't quite understand that.
Another one is a bladder control product for women. The name is Poise. "Poise under pressure and Poise in her pants." Poise in her pants? It's sounds like poison her pants.
A writer editor friend sent me a book about pandas that was entitled Eats Shoots and Leaves. It was to prove a point about the importance of commas and their placement.
I'm easily amused.

The name of our midday eating clique is the 'lunch bunch'. It's evolved over the years, but anyone who was once in it is always welcome to the table. We're an English only group and ages vary from 22-75. Sometimes when the younger hens are holding court, my voice tends to diminish into a light-weight din. It's of no particular consequence as I find myself often amused by that chatterbox banter.
So, one afternoon Leona, who was a newlywed for the second time was talking about her then boyfriend, Carlos. "Men in my family always wear a T when they are in the water. Doesn't matter if it's the pool, a lake, or the ocean. Either a T or a wife beater."
(Did she just say 'wife beater')?
"Well, Carlos wasn't having any of that. Carlos went in topless. Imagine this guy going into the water with nothing on next to my brothers and cousins. Carlos thinks he's cut!"
When I heard that my eyes must have bulged in the sockets. I looked at the wise African American nurse and she cracked a smile. So I whispered, "He thinks he's cut? In my culture, a man usually knows. In most cases it's documented!"
She was laughing herself silly over that one. She told me that 'cut' was a description of this chest and abdomen. Like being ripped or having a six pack.
"A six pack?" I asked. "Wouldn't that mean he's got a beer belly?"
That one was explained to me as well. Can't believe that English has been my native language for over 60 years and I never came across the notion of a man thinking that he were cut before!