; On Identifiers or Are You Green

Drag Queen
Charity event, Nob Hill,
Portland, 
Oregon
and me!

   

Amanda and I were talking about the need to describe EVERYONE that is new to us with an identifier. She had hired a dog sitter and the young person was "they, them". Discripters are those words we use to tell of people...how they look, who they are or even what their importance is. Why do we do that? Logic would tell us that saying someone is "the/them" doesn't really tell you anything unless you have a fixed notion of what a "they/them" is. But doesn't that play into prejudice?

Those of you that are younger probably have not have been raised in an isolated community like I was. My mother took great pride in telling me that she went to school with a black boy and his family were really nice. This was in the 1950's. She had been sent to board in Baker, Oregon to attend high school. Back in the day eastern Oregon was disconnected from the outside world. Provincial would be the word to describe it I think. She was raised in Lime, Oregon. Population 17 on a good day. I was raise 5 miles east of Lime in Huntington, Oregon. Population 500?

The boy I am speaking of was called Claudie Tebo. The Tebo family was revered in Baker because Claudie was a very good athlete. I think that, for them, that was what was expected. It helped identify the family's place in the community. 

The question is "Would Claudie and his family have been any less respected if he were a non-colored person?" I think he would have been not treated right in that era. But he really doesn't  need to be identified other than to mention his athletic prowess in context in 2026. And yet, even to this day, I tend to use that identifier because that is what my generation did. Not good but there you have it.

So, if you are a new friend, what do you want to know about the other people in my circle: height, width, intellect, ethnicity, education, occupation, sexual orientation, success, wealth, political ideals? 

I personally want to know what book they are reading. Well, politics would be important or I might offend someone.

Really...let me know.

b+

In the picture above I was with my daughter at a drag queen event that benefited homeless mothers with children. It was fun and all new to me.