A Question of Identity (long-winded)

I've been looking at sites about gaming on the Macintosh, and read again an article I'd seen a few weeks ago. Seems that Mark Adams, a well-known Mac gaming figure who runs one of the major porting houses, publically announced New Year's that she would now be known as Glenda Adams. Yes, she was remaining with her spouse Suellen; yes, she was having the medical therapy to adjust her body to her personal identity, etc. As has happened so often, articles like these get me all philosophical.

Maybe it comes from growing up a fan and being exposed to a lot of outlandish ideas, but for me, identity is all in the head. Nothing external is a true part of your identity - I've often tended to think of my body as simply a vehicle which I used to expose my mind to various things. Kind of a small, somewhat fragile, organic BattleMech for my psyche. :)

I don't think of myself as "a brunette" - I just am brunette. I don't consider myself "a Caucasian" - I just happen to have skin at the paler end of human range. It helped me deal with my Borg replacements better, not to think that I was "losing" part of myself, but just swapping out a broken part. (In fact, I've been heard to complain that they could at least have installed the 100 MPH legs while they were in there.)

So I don't consider myself "a male" - I just happen to be a person in a male body. (Which, btw, I'm quite satisfied with - don't get me wrong.) People are people, and common courtesy dictates that we let them be who they are, not who we think they should be. I think that if more people would take that into account, we'd have a less stress-ridden society.

This philosphy is what gives me the confidence to wear a vinyl dress to Halloween and freak out some people. :p

I have been chosen to serve the MCP...

I really tried to resist posting yet another test result here... and, as you see, I failed miserably.

I am a Light Cycle. I drive fast, I turn fast, I do everything fast. I even breakfast. I tend to confuse people with my sudden changes of heart. Sometimes I even confuse myself, which tends to cause problems. What Video Game Character Are You?

I can't say I think this one really got me right... I think Kong is closer. But hey, it's an online test. :)