Born This Way
Baby, we were born this way — or were we?The “born this way” concept has informed LGBTQ+ political messaging for decades, long before the Lady Gaga anthem emerged.
Recognizing that one’s identity is intrinsic and can’t be changed from outside, it’s been used to argue against discrimination and conversion therapy, plus to make the case that transgender people aren’t changing their gender but confirming an identity they’ve always had.
It’s proved to be effective, but some activists and thinkers have always said it’s limiting.One of the latest to put this idea forth is author Julia Serano. “Too many people seem to view that phrase through a lens of strict biological determinism, or presume that it means the number of LGBTQ people must be permanently fixed and static.
Perhaps new language might circumvent these misconceptions moving forward,” she wrote recently in Salon.That’s drawn mixed reactions from activists queried by The Advocate.
