Am i normal?

[Charlize]

Normal is a word i hate. I first ran into the word when i was in a group of GLB graduates of my university. We were working on guidelines to help present undergraduates and graduates when the chairman referred to the GLB part of the group (only two T's there) as the normal ones. ...... Bam..... I exploded. " I am not abnormal simply different than you in that i don't feel comfortable in the gender assigned to me." Furious, i almost walked out, but calmed when i looked across the table to see a smile on the face of the woman who runs the GLBT center on campus. He simply doesn't understand.

I ran into that word again when i called into a conservative radio talk show that i posted about a few days ago.

( http://nj1015.com/tr...nis-judi-watch/ ) Again i saw red. I'm normal! Different than others perhaps but normal.

Well maybe i'm not. What is normal if i'm not normal? Why does this word bug me? I don't mind being abnormal or even Abby normal but having a cis person say that as a way of dismissing me is infuriating!

Normal? I'm me.

Hugs,

Charlize

[Guest]

everybody want to belong, we are social animals after all. What's funny is everyone could be tagged as abnormal depending on the situation. If I talk about music with a group of 30 people and one person don't like music at all, she will be abnormal. (or according to the english definition of the word "deviating from the usual or typical". If I am in a group of matcho cis man who are transphobic I will surely and correctly be called "abnormal", but then again, is it a bad thing to "deviate from those man typical and usual"?

abnormal is a word I hate too. Why? I think that's first and foremost because I felt, in the past, like I didn't belong to anything. I was always abnormal. (and i'm really only talking for me here) When someone confront me with this these days I think about the past and I cringe because in my mind, now, i'm normal, i'm a normal women because in my mind, now, trans woman are part of the norm, lol.

there is still people who think transgender people are new. That's despite the fact that whole cultures in the world have gods or explanation for them pointing at the fact that we were always there, always part of the natural normal diversity.

I think it's our mission to educate people who want to be

good topic btw

[tracy_j]

Normal to me appears to be one of the words people use to justify their acceptance to a group. To be used in arguments for barring others.

As such both of the words, normal and abnormal, in effect do not mean a lot to me except for determination of their user's psychological makeup

Tracy

[Drea]

Normal is a hated word in this community. Something I find somewhat curious cause that in and of itself is differs from how most people feel about the word.

Normal is not in any way a prerequisite of acceptance. Although I seen trans fail to get acceptance by insisting others are wrong for feeling trans is something out of the norm.

Normal and Abnormal are simply descriptive words.

Definition of normal is conforming to the standard, usual, typical or expected. There is no judgment in the definition.

I think the issue is really more about self esteem and self acceptance than anything else.

So many trans people insist they accept themselves, but only seem to do so on the basis that being trans is "normal". I feel true self acceptance is when opinions of others don't mater.

The word has no power unless one gives it power. If one wishes one can impute all sorts of things into not being "normal". To me that is some sort of internal self negativity coming out.

Many in the community want to blame society for their problems. That society bogeyman MEME gets quite old and is root people disempowering themselves.

Trans people look at the "acceptance" of gays and tend to think because of that "acceptance" they are considered "normal" as well. Well I am sure gays feel they are normal because it is normal for them, but among the general population, while people may be totally accepting, recognizing that gay folks are decent folks, in their hearts and minds aren't thinking gays are "normal". Being gay isn't uncommon, but it isn't the norm.

I embrace my non-normality, accept that by the standards of most people what I have done is pretty darn weird. To me this is full acceptance, self empowerment and not labeling myself in some way as inferior. If anything recognizing that most would find what I have done quite abnormal is a matter of my being able to see thru their eyes, to understand, and in giving that understanding get understanding in return.

[Guest Kayla Grace]

"The only normal people are the ones you don't know very well"

- Carolyn Marie's signature

[MarcieMarie12]

Me: Please define normal?

Them: Being just like everybody else.

Me: Sounds bland. Besides everyone is different--so there's really no such thing as a normal person.

[Guest Razilee]

[Charlize]

Maybe the response should be : "exceptional"

Hugs,

Charlize