A Conversation on Gender

About 6 months ago I had this conversation while my roommate and I were getting ready for bed that I felt was important enough that I wrote it down. For a little context about our relationship, we tend to debate a lot of things, and the ONLY time we ever had full arguments, it was about the semantics of saying things. Like, maple syrup vs syrup. 100% serious about that example. Anyways...

There's so much talk about gender orientation right now, as it's kinda our generation's civil rights movement and something that is very much in the minds of many of us. Also, I go to a school where when you introduce yourself to someone, you tell them your pronouns (Hi, my name is Sofia, I use she/her). I feel like I know a fair amount of people who identify themselves in various different ways, so if you have an opinion, feel free to share it- this is just our thoughts from that one night (no idea how it came up):

Nefertiti: Are you a woman?

Sofia (me): Sure.

N: Say it. Pick Yes or No.

S: Fine, yes.

N: What makes you a woman?

S: That I, true to myself, choose to be one.

N: So that means everyone could be a woman.

S: No, because that's not being true.

N: But why do you choose?

S: Because I feel like my essence is one.

N: But what in your essence makes you one?

S: See, you're trying to make me give details to a label, but you can't do that (plus, you don't like when it happens to you). Do you consider yourself a woman?

N: Well, I don't label, I am a human being... But if people want to put a label so they understand..[yes].

S: Ok, what's a woman?

N: Someone who calls themselves a woman.

S: Do you chose to call yourself a woman?

N: Yes.

S: Ok.

N: Okay....?

S: That's it.

I'd just found the paper where I'd written this down, so I wanted to type it up before leaving home again (I'm on fall break). Hopefully you enjoyed that- maybe it gave you some food for thought?

See ya!

P.S. Thanks Nef. <3