A few of you have asked what I was going to write about Edie Windsor, so I thought I'd go ahead and post what I wrote, even though it's kind of incomplete.

The day before the Supreme Court arguments, I dreamed about them.  For some reason, they were taking place in a high school gymnasium.  And one of my biggest heroes (who was involved in the case, but didn't actually argue it) was arguing on behalf of Windsor.  My parents were in the audience for some reason, and so was I, but I didn't seem to have a seat, and kept darting about the folding chairs to get a better view.

If you follow the case at all, you probably know some of the details: Edith Windsor's 40-year relationship with Thea Spyer, her longtime care of Thea after Thea was diagnosed with multiple sclerosis, and the financial blow dealt to her after Thea died (because their marriage--in NY and Canada--was not recognized by the federal government). 

When I think about how hard it was for me to come out in the 2000s, and how much anti-gay rhetoric I heard as a kid, I'm especially amazed by women like Edie and Thea, who were out and proud when it was much harder to be. 

Regardless of how the case comes down, I'm overwhelmed by my gratitude to Edie Windsor and the many others, young and old, who have been fighting this battle for a long, long time. 

When I started this blog, I swore that I was never going to apologize for not posting frequently enough.  I'll just post whenever I want, I thought.  It's not like I'm going to feel guilty if I don't.

Well, I'm going to go back on my word: sorry it's been so long since I posted!  A few things have happened in the last month-ish of time that have taken me away from blogging.  Want to know what they are?

• Someone I respect immensely recommended a job to me that I wouldn't have considered on my own.  Now I've applied and have that kind of excitement that buzzes around in your head and throat and prevents you from doing anything useful.  I'm not sure if I'm more scared that I won't get the job, or that I will.  Either way, it's shaken things up in a way that is not at all unpleasant.
• I am taking two classes, just for fun.  Haven't done this in a while.  Readings!  Homework!  Papers!  It's madness, I tell you!
• My DGF and I turned some kind of indefinable "corner" and I feel closer to her than ever. 
  
• I broke my foot and it has to be in an "air cast" for two more weeks.  Then I get another x-ray.  And only then am I allowed to even think about getting back to hiking.  Gah!
  
• My DXH and his DGF are engaged!  Whoa!  I am immensely happy for both of them and excited because they are totally happy and make a phenomenal couple.  (Actually, they got engaged more than a month ago, but they sent me their wedding website the other day, and that was when I realized: OMG.  They're getting married!)
• I met Butch on Tap when she took a work-related trip to my neck of the woods.  It was fun!  We agreed that we are officially friends, and I'm hoping we'll collaborate on some stuff in the future.  Stay tuned...
• I thought lot about the gay marriage arguments, listened to the oral argument in Windsor, and started to write a couple of different pieces about it, none of which came to fruition because they all devolved into rambling about how much I admire people like Edie Windsor, and how grateful I am to the LGBTQ folks who paved the way for us.

So there it is, dear readers; you're totally caught up on my life.

Now stay tuned for our regularly scheduled programming...

Just a quick post to announce that The Trevor Project won the poll, and 1/3 of the proceeds from Mad 4 Equality will be donated there.  Thanks for voting--I expect to post entry info in a day or two, and am super stoked about the tournament.  Stay tuned!

On a slightly different BW note, I wanted to apologize for being such a lax little blogger lately.  A couple different things have been going on, one of which involved me stepping off of a sidewalk onto uneven pavement and twisting my foot, causing a ligament to pull a chunk of bone off.  So I'm hobbling around on crutches and demanding things from my DGF, who is being a ridiculously wonderful sport about it. 

I'll try to pick up the pace, though, for your reading pleasure.  I miss you guys!  Love, BW

Last week, I posed five writing prompts to BW readers.  (I'm still taking answers, so feel free to send yours in.)  One of those was: "Write a letter from your 2013 self to your 2003 self."  Here are five of my favorites:


Dear kid,

I know you're reading this at age 31 but I know you still feel young and dumb, sometimes.  I want, no, need to let you in on a few choice secrets. First, you have a lot of growing to do. You may feel like you are stagnant and the gears have stopped turning in your identity formation. I'm here, 10 years down the road, to urge you to hang on and keep your mind open. You're in for some heartbreak, which will make you question everything but you'll survive and only get better with age. Also, bear in mind that within the next decade, you'll become so comfortable with the you who you are that you won't give a tinker's damn what other folks think of how you present or label yourself. You'll be a fine person, who has expanded beyond terms like tomboy and lesbian and will embrace new aspects of self like boi, genderqueer and butch while never neglecting what it is to be female.

In short, you will create a pretty balanced synthesis where you can appreciate your masculine and feminine qualities. You don't need to be afraid that you'll be unappreciated or unloved because you rock that short haircut and tie. You won't bow to societal pressures to conform, get married, wear attire that doesn't mesh with who you are, etc. You'll be a work in progress, even in 2013 but you will be a happy butch, who exudes confidence and class... and you will not be alone.

Cheers,
Derrick


Dear Self from 2003,

Do yourself a favor and come out of the closet now. You know you're gay and so do your friends. I know you're scared that your family won't be fine with it but they will be as long as you are happy. Also never leave any of your girlfriends for someone else. It's lame and will rob you of true happiness. Keep trying to lose weight... it definitely pays off. Never give up!!! Life out if the closet is so much better than the life you have now.

With Love,
Me from 2013


The third letter is from Whitney, who chose to send it in in video form.  I totally love this--click here to check it out.


Dear Stevie,

Kiss a girl. One of those long lingering soft kisses that you can feel right down to your toes. When you are done don't feel guilty and don't feel ashamed;  but most of all don't be afraid.

Your life begins here. YOUR LIFE. Not the life you just assumed you should have. The life that you were conditioned to believe was the proper, moral thing for a good girl to do. This kiss will allow you to start really living. 

What you want is important and it matters. You will feel for the first time that you have found what you've been searching for. The thing that lingers just outside of your reach. Finally understand why you have always felt so different from other girls.

Love yourself for who you are. Start to look how you feel inside. Dress how you've always wanted to. Be comfortable in your own skin.  Take advice from Dr. Seuss "Be who you are and say what you mean because those that matter don't mind and those that mind don't matter."

With this one simple act, do for yourself what years of therapy will not be able to do for you. Understand your relationship with your husband, then let him go. Give yourself the opportunity to experience real romantic love for the first time.

Trust in your family to understand and to be there for you no matter what. Believe that they love you and feel that your happiness is all that matters in the end.

Be brave. Be true to yourself.  I'm not saying it will be easy. The sacrifices will be many. Some of them easy to take, while others will leave you heart broken and change you forever. But I promise you will never regret any of it for a second. The rewards far outweigh the hardships. Everything that you have ever imagined for yourself is what's at stake.

Kiss that girl! Then sit back and enjoy the ride.

Stevie Love



Hi there, Laura.

I know it's a pretty confusing time for you after just breaking up with Jade.  I know you think you're a little bi-girl, but let's be honest; we both know you're gay; don't pretend any more--it will be so much easier. You will meet people in your new secondary school who will find you with other girlfriends, will bully you and you shouldn't let it get to you like it did to me. The bullying got quite bad for me and I let it get to me but ignore them, actually in a few years the main ones have themselves come out.

Don't get all worried you won't suit short hair. It looks awesome on you! In the next few years you'll notice you meet some amazing people, especially in 2012, you will meet an amazing woman who makes you very happy. Don't let her go... ever.

I know you want to be with the guys and you've always acted like one but let's face it, you've always checked out the same girls they have without wanting to admit to yourself.  Rugby is awesome.  Just because you like to wear men's clothes doesn't mean you're weird.  Keep smiling; it does get better. It gets a lot better and you are happy in the future. Life is good when you admit you're into women. Oh... you look damn good in a shirt and tie and don't you ever forget it.

Love,
Your future self.


I'll share some more of my favorite answers from readers to these and other questions in the next couple of weeks.  Readers' answers are making me wonder what I would tell my 10-years-younger self.  Would I tell her not to marry my DXH?  I'm not sure.  It broke my heart and sent me reeling for years...  but on the other hand, I learned a lot from being married to him, and we had some absolutely wonderful times.  In a very real sense, he and I grew up together.  Plus, if I'd come out earlier, would I have ever met my hilarious, gorgeous, terrific DGF?

It's hard for me to think about what I'd want my 10-years-younger self to know.  Even the things I learned the hard way sculpted me into the person I am now...  so maybe that's good.  Or maybe it's just cognitive dissonance.

What do YOU wish you would have known ten years ago?

I've talked often on Butch Wonders about the difficulty of defining "butch," my distaste for policing "butchness," and the value I find in labeling myself "butch."  I've been communicating with some of my dear readers about these and related questions, and I'd like to put a call out there for YOUR answer to one of the following:

1. How do you define "butch?"  Does butch necessarily mean "female?" 
   
2. Write a letter from your 2013 self to your 2003 self--maybe to give younger self some insight; maybe to prepare you for the next decade.
   
3. Would we all be better off without any labels?
4. What is your butch "style?"  How is it different (if it's different at all, which it needn't be) from being a man?
5. Describe how some other identity you have (race, religion, social class, whatever) interacts with your sexual orientation.
   

Over the next month or two, I will post several of the most interesting, thought-provoking answers I receive.  Please email me your entries, along with the following information:

• Which question you are answering
• How you'd like your name to appear (if at all--anonymous is fine)
• A link to your website (optional--I'll publish it with your entry)
• Your mailing address (also optional--a few lucky folks may win a prize)
  

I reserve the right to edit these as I see fit for grammar, length, clarity, etc., but I'll do so as sparingly as possible.  No minimum or maximum length, but anywhere between 150 and 750 words is great.  You don't need to identify as butch, or as gay, or as anything else, to submit an entry. 

I can't wait to read these!  (And yes, if you'd like to answer more than one, feel free--just make sure to send each answer in a separate email.)