Representation Matters

[Dr.Device]

So, recently on the Politics thread, I mentioned that I'm transgender. When I came out a couple of months ago, I changed my gender field on my profile to female, and put real pic of me as a profile pic. But I didn't post anything here. I'd considered doing it at the same time I was coming out on social media, but I didn't. I'm not sure why. I only brought it up in the politics thread because it was relevant to the argument I was making.

 

But this evening, when I was watching a show with a trans character, I started thinking about how important representation is to me, and to all people, really. I was thinking about the fact that, until someone says something otherwise (or their name indicates otherwise) on these boards (and on the internet in general) , I tend to imagine them as a straight white male. I think a lot of people do that. I mean, I don't think we even do it consciously, but I'm aware of the times when someone says something that reveals that they aren't a SWM, and I'm a little bit surprised. I don't like that. It bothered me when I identified as a straight white male, and it bothers me now.

 

And that's why I'm posting this. Representation is important. I want any other LGBTQ folks on the boards to know they're not alone. Also, if anyone's curious about what it's like to be trans, and to transition, I way overshare on my Tumblr, or feel free to ask me any (not too personal) questions here.

 

 

 

[Old Man]

Congratulations on coming out! I’m glad that you feel safe enough here to do that. I think there are quite a few minorities on here, but I also think that we don’t discuss it much since many of us try to maintain a certain degree of anonymity. 

[Zeropoint]

Congrats, and thanks for collectively trusting us enough to come out here!

 

Wait, that's basically what Old Man said. A hearty "me too" from me, I guess?

[Starlord]

For some reason I tend to imagine that in real life everyone looks like their avatars.

[Zeropoint]

That's an easy trap for the human brain to fall into. What about people with non-humanoid avatars?

[Ragitsu]

In my spare time, I too fly experimental deep space fighter jets.

 

[Pattern Ghost]

3 hours ago, Dr.Device said:

I was thinking about the fact that, until someone says something otherwise (or their name indicates otherwise) on these boards (and on the internet in general) , I tend to imagine them as a straight white male.

 

/raises hand

 

48 minutes ago, Starlord said:

For some reason I tend to imagine that in real life everyone looks like their avatars.

 

I'm not actually a blood-splattered smiley face pin. Or a white lizard. But feel free to imagine me as either.

 

3 hours ago, Dr.Device said:

When I came out

 

This phrase always makes me think of Diana Ross . . .

 

 

Also, ditto what Old Man and Zeropoint said.

 

 

 

[Starlord]

21 minutes ago, Pattern Ghost said:

I'm not actually a blood-splattered smiley face pin. Or a white lizard. But feel free to imagine me as either.

 

 

Sorry, but you'll always be bloody, smiley face to me.  

[Badger]

1 hour ago, Zeropoint said:

That's an easy trap for the human brain to fall into. What about people with non-humanoid avatars?

 

Or those with none?  But, I assume you all envision me as a bad-ass looking badger tearing apart an Ewok, right?

 

*crickets*

[zslane]

11 hours ago, Dr.Device said:

I was thinking about the fact that, until someone says something otherwise (or their name indicates otherwise) on these boards (and on the internet in general) , I tend to imagine them as a straight white male. I think a lot of people do that.

 

Well, sure, I think that's human nature, particularly if you are even vaguely aware of the majority demographic of the board you're reading. If you know that a board is probably 80+% composed of SWMs, then it is only natural for SWM to become the cognitive "default" when there is no concrete indicator otherwise. I don't see this as prejudice or bias, per se, but rather just probability and statistics shaping our cognitive categorizing, a process our brains use to make the world more manageable.

 

[mattingly]

Welcome to the Forum... again.

[Trencher]

12 hours ago, Starlord said:

For some reason I tend to imagine that in real life everyone looks like their avatars.

I know its true for me!

[Lucius]

2 hours ago, zslane said:

 

Well, sure, I think that's human nature, particularly if you are even vaguely aware of the majority demographic of the board you're reading. If you know that a board is probably 80+% composed of SWMs,

 

 

Who knows that, and how do they know it?

 

Lucius Alexander

 

I think I can safely assume none of you are palindromedaries....

[Ranxerox]

12 hours ago, Zeropoint said:

That's an easy trap for the human brain to fall into. What about people with non-humanoid avatars?

 

Those are the posters that I am most inclined to believe look like their avatars.

[Old Man]

11 hours ago, Badger said:

 

Or those with none?  But, I assume you all envision me as a bad-ass looking badger tearing apart an Ewok, right?

 

 

I assumed that the only explanation for your hatred of Ewoks was a bad case of self-loathing. 

[Cancer]

Thanks for having the confidence in us to open up in this community, though I admit I take such ... with caution.  I have been on the Internet since the early 1980s, and ... well, I am conditioned to retain skepticism about declarations of personal information, and I am not really comfortable with them.  That is at least partly a generational thing, partly from internet experiences very long ago, partly from long-cultivated self-protective habit.  The old-time NGDers here will recall a particular case of elaborate intentional deceit that went on for a while; that blew up very shortly before I joined up here.  I witnessed none of that as it occurred, but there were some folks here who were hurt by it.

 

In no way am I accusing you or anyone of a lack of candor, and please don't read hostility into this response.  Your opinions and contibutions are valued and respected as are anyone's, independent of an identity you share or choose not to share.

[zslane]

1 hour ago, Lucius said:

 

Who knows that, and how do they know it?

 

 

In general, anyone who has spent enough time in a hobby, especially a niche one, will have a fairly clear picture of its core population/demographic.

[Lord Liaden]

14 hours ago, Starlord said:

For some reason I tend to imagine that in real life everyone looks like their avatars.

 

I do. That's why I wear a helmet.

[Ragitsu]

40 minutes ago, Lord Liaden said:

 

I do. That's why I wear a helmet.

 

Why do you resemble The Shredder?

 

[Ternaugh]

16 hours ago, Starlord said:

For some reason I tend to imagine that in real life everyone looks like their avatars.

 

Some of us do.

[Badger]

3 hours ago, Old Man said:

 

I assumed that the only explanation for your hatred of Ewoks was a bad case of self-loathing. 

 

That's cheap shot even for you. 

[Dr.Device]

2 hours ago, Cancer said:

Thanks for having the confidence in us to open up in this community, though I admit I take such ... with caution.  I have been on the Internet since the early 1980s, and ... well, I am conditioned to retain skepticism about declarations of personal information, and I am not really comfortable with them.  That is at least partly a generational thing, partly from internet experiences very long ago, partly from long-cultivated self-protective habit.  The old-time NGDers here will recall a particular case of elaborate intentional deceit that went on for a while; that blew up very shortly before I joined up here.  I witnessed none of that as it occurred, but there were some folks here who were hurt by it.

 

In no way am I accusing you or anyone of a lack of candor, and please don't read hostility into this response.  Your opinions and contibutions are valued and respected as are anyone's, independent of an identity you share or choose not to share.

 

Understandable. I remember that incident and was thinking about it after I wrote this. So, for the record,

 

This is me two and a half years ago, right before I came out to myself:

 

And this is me three days ago:

 

I look a little different, but I think you can see me there in both.

 

And, just to be thorough, here's a video of me saying who I am.

 

(But also, look at my join date on my profile. I'd have to be playing the really long game on this)

 

[Cancer]

You've been here longer than me, then.  Allow me to shake your hand.

[Starlord]

10 hours ago, Lord Liaden said:

 

I do. That's why I wear a helmet.

 

No problem, Herr Doktor.  

[Bazza]

On 16 June 2018 at 5:16 PM, Starlord said:

For some reason I tend to imagine that in real life everyone looks like their avatars.