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So Penny, my penpal, she's so awesome.
After all these years we've never met, and I feel like we're old friends.
We write back and forth about once a month, sometimes more and we only use snail-mail.
And we've never added each other to Facebook either, and we made a pact not to.
So anyways, she's writing back to me and she's talking about this “bloke” that she's “pulled”...
And they're seeing each other more seriously.
She's talking about how much richer and fuller her life feels.
Like she's discovering who she is, through him.
Which I can totally relate to.
I guess I'm talking about Claire.
But, not like me and Claire are, you know... we're not, like, an item or anything, but...
I can totally see what Penny is saying.
So, when I write back to her, I want to talk to Penny about her. About Claire.
And I'm writing back to her, and I realize I'm not saying Claire's name...
and I'm not using words like “she” or “her”.
Everything's gender - what's the word?
When everything's an equal? Sort of. Neutral!
Everything I'm writing is gender-neutral.
And I don't even notice until I get to the part
“That's got to be one of the best parts about having a...”
I want to use the word boyfriend, talking about Penny's guy.
But will I ever tell her that I have I girlfriend?
IF I ever have a girlfriend.
Or should I write partner?
Significant other?
Why do I care about being gender-neutral?
Is it so important that I'm in the closet to someone on the other side of the ocean?
I guess what I'm wondering is, if I'm hiding who I am...
Does that make me homophobic?
So what do you think? Am I being homophobic?