Thanks for the care with which you’ve outlined the many contours of this inquiry. As a gay man at 55, and as someone who has navigated areas of activism for about 35 years, I’ve come across many ways to see our community and the larger society through our community.

I appreciate the introduction of the metalinguistic negotiation. Many live in the definition of terms, not the meaning which can only be arrived through interaction. We cannot merely observe and know; we must participate to understand — and that involves seeking out these differences to discover these significant experiences. To engage worlds that exist beyond the words used to delimit these realities.

Gender is the newest dimension through which we are asked to expand our view of humanity. You raise important questions and offer a wonderful invitation that involves expanding beyond the normative lens. I believe this is a fundamental source of our confusion. We are trained through education and in most professions to expect views of what “should be.” At points in your piece I noticed my bias, and then I noticed glimpses of insight and felt I could see some of what you are pointing to. I am pleased that you can express these complex ideas is such a clear and skillful measure. Thanks for taking the time.