Labels

[Nvr2thick4me]

Sexuality is very complicated - why are labels needed at all?  

[Guest]

Well, the term "label" is a rather loaded one. The word is usually used by those who don't like themselves seen in a certain way. However, labels also help understand behavior and experiences, and predict the person's wants or needs. For example, if I have a friend who identifies as vegan coming over for a meal, I can grocery shop accordingly. If someone identifies as a gay man, I know not to try to set him up with a nice woman I know. It also helps me have some understanding of the person's experiences, hardships, culture, etc. 

[+ Lucky]

Why label anything?

[jeezifonly]

The forum here is a place that discusses labels all the time. But only with a very specific line of consumer services and products generally not of interest to the wider public. In this line of products and services, sometimes various offerings are misrepresented, or require caveats of understanding in order  to know what the price includes, or if the “product” is accurately depicted through words and images provided by the marketer. Labels and their accuracy prevent unsatisfactory business deals.
 

Labels applied to off-market sexuality are sometimes useful, but only as a shortcut between 2 individuals, not as a descriptor of an individual to society at large.

I am certain that I am a cis male whose only interest in sexual activity is with other cis males. The label that applies to me is “gay” and it’s a fair label based on how I describe myself.

Anyone who rejects all self-labeling, and keeps their gender and/or sexual wants/needs/desires completely hidden, is safer in the workplace, and the world at large. But finding the person(s) they hope to have in their most private of worlds will just take a lot more time. Because “sexuality is complicated” 
 

 

[+ Vegas_Millennial]

2 hours ago, Lucky said:

Why label anything?

To remember where you left something

[+ Vegas_Millennial]

10 hours ago, Nvr2thick4me said:

Sexuality is very complicated - why are labels needed at all?  

Labels help me to keep track of my gentlemen callers.  If I'm in the mood for certain activities, I know whether to call my bisexual/married/pastor/pig friend or my gay/single/bottom/safe friend, or my straight/married/oral only friend, or to hire from the Internet and sort there by the appropriate labels.

[Guest]

16 hours ago, Lucky said:

Why label anything?

@MikeBiDude puts his thumbs up in agreement-- but labels himself bi...

 

[pubic_assistance]

3 hours ago, Unicorn said:

@MikeBiDude puts his thumbs up in agreement-- but labels himself bi...

Might seem like a contradiction but in defense of bisexuals, we use the term to mean we haven't "picked a side".  It's a label that means we reject the usual labels.  

[Guest]

14 minutes ago, pubic_assistance said:

... It's a label ...

Yes, it is a label, and yes, it's a major contradiction.

 

Edited May 18, 2023 by Unicorn

[pubic_assistance]

5 minutes ago, Unicorn said:

Yes, it is a label, and yes, it's a major contradiction.

It's a label. Yes. But  not a contradiction since the label is meant to encompass the entire category.

So, it's the difference between the A, B or C editions of an encyclopedia and the entire collection of books. ( Yes, I'm that old, that I remember when encyclopedias were books)