Gender fluidity in biohacking?
Hi everyone, this conversation came up at BodyHacking Con last weekend, and I'd like to extend it to the Internet: How many folks in the community describe themselves as gender fluid? Do you feel, in light of expanding yourself in a transhumanist sense, that gender isn't an important part of your identity? The conversation didn't last long at the conference, and obviously some people weren't there. I'd love to hear your perspective. Also, I see the queer biohacking post below, but I think this addresses a different matter.
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If you're looking for statistical information, jot me down as a white male cis biohacker.
In one sense, I guess you could count something so trivial as clipping fingernails to be a form of 'body modification for practical benefit'. I say this loosely. C_c
My example of what this conversation could do to biohacking is this. Growing up for me and seeing a rainbow never meant anything but "hey it's a rainbow" and " maybe there's a lot of gold at the end of it!" We tried as hell to see the end and get there. Obviously we didn't and there wasn't but now a rainbow is attributed to "it's a gay thing". I do not like or think it would be a wise idea to try and link this to gender anything but rather a movement to use technology to its fullest potential.
I'm sorry if I offend but it's really easy for something to be shunned simply by putting a type of person on it.
I'm neither gay nor fluid of any sort and I still wouldn't want it attributed to anything related to me aside from I love tech and want to use it.
This may signify tied connotations of physiology, such as how hormones may interact with some nootropics or chemicals, or how some physiology differences may tie in due to physical formation between sexes.
But the fundamental idea is that a body is still a body, correct? Pigment of skin or sexual orientation or religion does not make any difference in that you still need to keep surgical operating field clean and sterile. The skin cuts as human skin should still cut. one won't "block out" RFID signal more than another.
Do not color me at all as someone who is against feminism, sexual equality, social rights, etc. But I hate reading these articles because they just preach, to me, something that I never even considered an argument. People are universally equal and each have different capacities and strengths and weaknesses. I don't need someone telling me that I am oppressing them by thinking the thoughts I am, because I am not. X_X
To suggest I oppose a group because I do not openly automatically support it... I find that harassing. I support the cause, but it is not my place to fight for the cause one believes in when I have my own priorities and agendas to adress. But I digress. People are equal. And people should bring to the table what they can. That is what truly gives them their value among a community. Not everyone is going to be a heavy hitter or possibly anything more than simply a member of a group who listens, thinks, and responds with their ideas and perceptions. But they still contribute. <3
Gender, X, Y, somewhere between, something else... something I am unaware of.... All of these. These may strongly incorporate who we are, or they may not. that is up to the individual to determine, as much as it is how they choose to identify. It shouldn't be of any more relevance than someone's physiology or skin tone or religion, and as such it should not be something that sparks offensive or necessitates defense. It should not be a focal point, that is not our mission.
"Grinders are passionate individuals who believe the tools and knowledge of science belong to everyone. We practice functional body modification in an effort to improve the human condition.
Grinders believe in action, our bodies the experiment"
There is simply nothing else in this. There is no addendum relating to XX or Buddhism or Native American descent... We practice what we practice to improve the HUMAN condition. This is the idea that unites Grinders, no other petty ties of any other aspect of one person to another, at least from what I see in my own perception. I see each person here as another human, regardless of identified Male or Asian or Muslim or Homosexual. None of that matters, Humans. <3
Just because there is an attraction doesn't mean there would be a strong association.
A: Any group that delves hard into gender stuff gets heated and attracts trolls like rats to the sandwich. We don't need or want that.
B: We see it as dividing along arbitrary lines that have no value here, like grouping ourselves by eye color and if your belly button goes in or out. Doesn't matter, only people that care aren't caring for biohacking reasons, and that's not why we're here.
Also curious on seeing other perceptions. ^^
How am I doing with I"s glims :).
Let me ask this what happened one these fluid people came out and announced what they felt? What is the first thing people think when they see a rainbow flag?
I'll go a different route. What other things do we attribute to a certain people that is true? Do Jews have a larger nose? I know people with some huge noses that are Christian. Putting a title on a group is not good, it should be for all and not a label. This subject is controversial enough with out parading it about with one group of people. Trying to claim something just because it has some following will do nothing but hurt a movement.
That rant being said to answer some questions from the original post
@maxatmic
I am not gender fluid and I'm not 100% sure what that is. I'm guessing it's kinda bisexual and a mix of guy wanting to be more girl but going between the two?. I put myself as a man to every meaning. I also do not put myself in to the transhumanism movement what so ever. I feel I am more doing this to improve myself not try and be apart of anything more than I already am. I love tech and that's the extent of my movement.
I think I covered the question. Sorry I'm not a fluid person but hey it's input.
- Labels are still important to a lot of people. They help a person learn more about their own identity and find others who have similar experiences and lifestyles. As long as they are self chosen. I forget where i read this but just ask any cat... getting into a box is significantly different than being put into a box :)
- It'd be great if we could let non binary folks chat without chiming in and re-framing the discussion on weather or not their experiences are 'useful' to us. Every time I've seen someone mention gender, it always comes back to only skills matter. It's great that we all can agree on that, but not every discussion needs to be about weather or not these experiences directly contribute to our goals.
- Cis folks: This isn't about us. We've got an entire form to work with here (1,214 threads, actually!); we don't need to but in on every. single. post. If someone asks about the biohacking scene in Brussels and you live in Kentucky US, you're not gonna derail the topic to what's happening in Kentucky because the internet means we can all collaborate now so location means nothing.
This is the second time I've seen a thread like this get responses about how "It doesn't matter, you're still useful to us so stop thinking it matters." Let's just chill and stop framing it on us, k? Thanks!
So this is about the gender fluid people rather than just a head count? If that's the case I'll shut up now since I'm one of those who thinks we should keep quiet while the minority speaks.
Each of us can say what we think, but ultimately the real purpose of this thread is to discuss the views collectively most of us do not see. :o Don't even care if it conflicted with my own or others beliefs, still deserves full respect. :)
A fan of seeing discussion and ideas evolve in a forum. But also, I'm not a huge one to seeing ideas be at least completely derailed. Maybe just a little. >~<
@Dragon5 it's not that I disagree with it... I just really don't understand how to fully understand that in my head on the spot. @_@ Please tell me I'm not the only one trying to figure that out completely.