Labels

Liberal:
a) Not limited to or by established, traditional, orthodox, or authoritarian attitudes, views, or dogmas; free from bigotry.
b) Favoring proposals for reform, open to new ideas for progress, and tolerant of the ideas and behavior of others; broad-minded.
c) Of, relating to, or characteristic of liberalism.
d) Liberal Of, designating, or characteristic of a political party founded on or associated with principles of social and political liberalism, especially in Great Britain, Canada, and the United States.

Agnostic:
a) One who believes that it is impossible to know whether there is a God.
b) One who is skeptical about the existence of God but does not profess true atheism.

I moved from Canada to the USA in my early 20’s, before I really thought much about politics or what to call myself. In Canada there are multiple political parties and provincial politics, in particular, was always a quagmire that I never ventured far into. Since I’ve lived in the Bay Area for almost 20 years I have a skewed vantage point of life in general and politics in particular. I know that the rest of the country is not like we are around these parts. I don’t like labels but I can safely say that I am both a liberal and an agnostic. Both of these things put me into a distinct minority in this country, but because of my location and my ability to keep my mouth shut whenever religion or politics comes up, I manage to avoid the wrath of others for the most part.

I’ve been thinking a lot about labels lately. It doesn’t make sense to me that in this country you are supposed to choose between Democrat and Republican (if you want to make a difference, otherwise you are relegated to the Green Party and others on the fringe). I don’t agree with things on both sides, so I guess it’s a good thing I can’t vote. If you want to regale me for living in a country I refuse to become a citizen of, go right ahead. I pay my taxes just like the next person, but I steadfastly refuse to renounce allegiance to my birth country. The USA is the only industrialized nation that doesn’t allow for dual citizenship outside of birth rights. The government allows it with a wink and a nod, but doesn’t recommend it, partly because it could cause a problem if your two countries ended up at war with each other -- you could be drafted into military service of both. I suspect this situation wasn’t contemplated between the USA and Canada but there aren’t separate rules for countries the USA is friendly with.

We’re DINKS. I’m too old to be a YUPPIE but I used to be one. I’m on the cusp of Baby Boomer and Generation X. I’m married and divorced; a daughter, sister, niece, aunt, granddaughter, stepmom and stepgrandmother. I’m a consultant, a dog owner, a budding equestrienne and both a Francophile and an Anglophile. I’m a dichotomy. Like most people, one label just isn’t going to cut it. I try to remember that when I encounter someone who seems to be from a different planet.

I’m also a blogger, small b, small time. Because I’m not one of the Really Cool Kids, I had no idea that this year’s BlogHer conference is this weekend, right in my own backyard. Yes, I know there are plenty of non-gender-defined Blogger conferences, and don’t throw things at me, but I have to say it irks me a little that women bloggers feel they need to exclude men in order to have a meaningful discussion about their craft. Having said that, I know I need to branch out and include more male bloggers in my blogroll. I started with a hard core base of infertility bloggers, and we all know that we find other blogs through the blogs we regularly read, so it makes sense that I would end up with mostly estrogen on my Bloglines. I am starting to find I’m missing the male perspective on life in my reading. If anyone has any good links for me I’d love to get them.