The

Undeniable

Ruth

®

…and the Ruth shall set you free!

  • Coming Out Day: Queer and Non-Binary

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    Ruth Carter

    I am queer and non-binary. I used to identify as bisexual, but now I use the umbrella term “queer” since I can be attracted to any gender. Since I’m “non-binary,” meaning I don’t identify as a man or a woman, it would be contradictory to identify as “bisexual” since I don’t believe that gender is a binary concept. Sometimes I use the term “non-gendered,” since I often feel like I don’t have a gender. (Gender is a social construct, completely separate from a person’s biological sex.) I also use “gay,” as a catch-all term for non-heterosexual people, even though others use it to exclusively describe men who have sex with men.

    Rainbow by Benson Kua from Flickr

    Gender and sexual orientation each have their own spectrum, and I’m somewhere in the middle on both.

    I don’t have a box, a stereotype to which I’m expected to conform or even suggested guidelines like those that come with identifying as a “man,” “woman,” “heterosexual,” or “homosexual.” It’s both freeing and frightening to live without such limits.

    In honor of National Coming Out Day, I decided to respond to the common statements and questions my friends have heard in response to coming out:

    What made you gay?
    Nothing made me queer. It’s just what I am. What made you straight?

    How did you know you were queer?
    When I realized my female peers didn’t think about women the same way I do.

    When did you decide to be non-binary?
    Again, this wasn’t a decision. I’ve never felt like being a man or a woman was right for me.

    Photo by Roger Griggs

    How does that work?
    Could you be a bit more specific?

    It’s just a phase.
    Thirty-eight years is a long time for a phase.

    You’re just confused.
    I’m often confused about a lot of things, including how to best present myself, but I have no doubts about who or what I am.

    Have you always been like this?
    Yup.

    Are you sure?
    Yes. Trust me, I wouldn’t have come out if I wasn’t sure.
    The only person who could get away with asking this question was my grandmother, because, well, she was old. Bless her heart.

    How do you know?
    How do you know what gender you are? How do you know what people you find attractive? Some things you just know.

    Photo by Jason Hahn

    I don’t want you to get AIDS.
    Me neither.

    What are your pronouns?
    In general, if you’re using pronouns to refer to me, there’s a good chance I’m not there to hear you. I don’t care what pronouns you use as long as you’re respectful. When speaking to me, I prefer “sir” over “ma’am,” and a gender-neutral title instead of “Mr.” or “Ms.”

    Can’t you just pick one gender to be attracted to?
    Some people are only attracted to people with light or dark-colored hair. Others are potentially attracted to a person with any color of hair. Likewise, some people are only attracted to people with a penis or a vagina. For me, a person’s genitals is not a deal-maker or breaker in deciding whether I find them attractive.

    Bisexuals are greedy and promiscuous.
    Sounds like you’re jealous.

    So, you want to have sex with everyone.
    No. There’s a big difference between being potentially attracted to a person of any gender and wanting to bang everyone.

    Oh, so you had a crush on me in high school, right? (From a female friend)
    Absolutely not.
    BTW – If an LGBTQ person hits on you, take it as a compliment, even if you don’t reciprocate their feelings. It’s not a big deal if everyone’s respectful.

    How do you have sex when there is no penis involved?
    There are lots of ways to be intimate when a penis is not a key player. Do we need to take you back to Sex 101?

    Photo by Leslie Easton Photography

    So, does that mean you [sex act]?
    Woah there, Pooh Bear. Unless I’m sleeping with you, the details of my sex life are none of your business.

    Are you the man or the woman in relationships?
    That’s like asking which chopstick is the fork.

    Does your family know?
    Yup. And if they didn’t, they haven’t been paying attention.

    Is it because your dad didn’t show you affection?
    What?? No.

    This is probably because your mom was too overbearing.
    <sigh> No.

    Do you know my friend, Chris? They’re gay.
    The LGBTQ community may be less than 10% of the population, but that’s still a lot of people. We don’t all know each other.
    But how cool would that be?

    That makes sense.
    A lot of things clicked when I realized what I am.

    Life is going to be a lot more difficult now.
    Probably. But I’d rather be authentic than pretend to be someone I’m not.

    Have you ever been fired for being gay?
    Thankfully no, but in Arizona, I could be.

    I love you anyway.
    That’s one word too long.

    Do you really have to tell everyone? Shouldn’t you keep that private?
    Why would I? That would be like telling a man to tone down his masculinity, or telling a straight couple to stop holding hands. My sexual orientation and gender have little impact on most people’s lives.

    So, there you go. If you’re still curious about my sexual orientation or gender, including my coming out stories, check out my episode of The Out House podcast.

  • Mulling Over my Gender Identity

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    Ruth Carter

    It’s been about three months since I came out about questioning my gender. For now, I’m most comfortable identifying as non-gendered. I don’t feel like I fit with the concept of being a woman or a man. This is quite freeing, and a source of insecurity. It’s also exhausting.

    Self Portrait at Dawn by Jörg Reuter from Flickr (Creative Commons License)

    I’ve been paying more attention to my physical body – how I wish it looked, and how these thoughts fit into my gender identity. For the most part, I’m not a fan of my feminine curves. I’d rather see myself with muscle definition – especially vertical lines on my abs and striations on my shoulders – but still maintain a thigh gap. I’ve never been a fan of my own boobs. They serve no purpose and I wish they would shrink. I’d rather have muscular pecs than tits.

    I wish I could pass as male or female and/or be so androgynous that strangers aren’t sure how to interact with me because of my unknown gender. It would give me a “blank slate” to play with. As it is, my dress varies widely day-to-day. In one week I wore a feminine top with a bound chest, a shirt and tie, and a dress and heels. I was also giddy when my new Starfleet uniform arrived – the red mini dress from the Star Trek: Into Darkness.

    Despite my desire to have an androgynous shape, I think my hips will disclose my biological sex. Even before puberty, my hip bones stuck out, and now, I have curves that I fear can’t be slimmed through diet and exercise. And while I know I have a “good butt,” I prefer to keep it smaller, firmer, and lifted. Being curvaceous does nothing for me.

    Note: these are my thoughts about myself. I feel no animosity towards the female shape on other people and U.S. standards for beauty.

    Image from Last Year’s Junkyard Photoshoot by Devon Christopher Adams (Used with Permission)

    It became obvious that I want to be more androgynous when I was invited to the annual Junkyard Photoshoot. I went last year and had a blast. And I enjoy being a model – getting to show different emotions and aspects of my personality. When I model, I always want to feel my inner strength.

    But this year, I declined the invitation. This is an open photoshoot where models and photographers get to show up, have fun reign of the junkyard to do almost anything we want. Most of the models are women, and many of them use the setting to pose in lingerie or less – very over-the-top sexy. (And a lot of female models do this type of modeling. There’s nothing wrong with it. It’s just not for me.) I’d rather be in jeans and a tank top, feeling more like Wolverine than a centerfold.

    I decided not to go for two reasons:

    1. I didn’t feel comfortable in my skin. Questioning my gender and other events exacerbated my depression, so I didn’t feel strong and confident. It wasn’t a good space to be in for going into an artistic setting where there would be lots of people I’d never met before.
    2. I was afraid of feeling rejected by photographers who wouldn’t want to work with me. (I know, they can go fornicate with themselves, but easier said than done when I’m feeling vulnerable.)

    I’m still mulling over lots of different thoughts about gender identity and how I interact with a mostly two-gendered society. The more I learn about myself, the more I realize that many social norms don’t apply to me.

  • Binding with KT Tape – My Experience

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    Ruth Carter

    If pushed to label my gender, I’d say I’m non-gendered. While I am biologically female, I don’t think the American constructs of man or woman fit for me. I have no plans to surgically alter my appearance, but I do like to be androgynous. Periodically, I wear a chest binder to have a flatter torso. It does the job, and it’s pretty comfortable considering it’s compressing my chest, but it doesn’t work with every type of shirt – the shoulder straps are too wide to wear with a tank top and tops that have necklines that are too wide or too low. Plus, it’s an extra layer of fabric, which I suspect will get hot in the summer.

    One strip of KT Tape cut in half

    I learned that some people use KT Tape (affiliate link) as an alternative to wearing a binder. As a runner, I’ve used this super-stretchy adhesive fabric tape on my shins and feet while training for races. Wearing KT is better than using an ace bandage or other tape to bind, but it’s not ideal. KT is aware that some people use their product to bind and they provide guidance to minimize issues like skin irritation. I decided to give it a try for a day.

    Taping myself was easy. I did right after my shower when there were no dirt or oil on my skin. Given the small area that needed taping, I took a single strip of KT Pro-Synthetic tape (affiliate link) and cut it in half. I taped myself while laying down because that’s when I’m flattest. I started the strip just inside my nipple, attached with no stretch, then stretched it across my chest, and lay the other end against my skin with no stretch in the tape. I repeated the process on the other side, but I didn’t completely un-stretch the tape before attaching the end on my side. I could feel that pinching and pulling a bit throughout the day.

    Overall, it was quite comfortable. I wouldn’t go running in this setup, but I felt confident to walk my dog and go to the office without worrying that anyone would notice. When I took the tape off, there was a bit of irritation where the ends of the tape were, but not bad – and I have super sensitive skin! I would definitely do this again if I wanted to bind while wearing a non-binder friendly outfit. KT recommends using their Original-Cotton tape to reduce the risk of skin irritation. I’d probably buy a roll in their nude tone (affiliate link) rather than my usual black (affiliate link).

    I don’t plan to bind myself with KT on a regular basis, but I’m glad to know it works. I could see myself going to a beach and opting to wear KT tape instead of a top. Yes, I could wear classic pasties, but given their typical shapes and colors, those are made to be stared at; and sometimes, I really don’t want to deal with being objectified. I just want to be comfortable.