the_fantastic_ms_fox ([personal profile] the_fantastic_ms_fox) wrote2006-10-15 10:27 pm

Sasha - defender of mankind!

Tomorrow I'll go see a shrink about gender issues, then I'll sit on the SFU Senate. Good. Good. I'm not sure which is more of a mindfuck. No. It's Senate. Senator Fox? Mmm? Oh yes.

I'm faced with a decision about names, or two. Introducing myself to people as "Amy" sucks. It's stressful, and even genderqueer people make this almost-audible 'click' as their brains turn over. Most importantly, I can't do it everywhere. This said, I like "Amy" - I even respond to it without thinking.

The traditional MTF route is to get good at passing, duck out for a weekend and leave a note explaining things to one's coworkers asking for them to refer to you under a new name while you deal with the fact that your home life just imploded, then come back to work and get fired. In other words, man-woman; Robert one week, Roberta the next. Alternatively in some cases of taste beyfond my comprehension, Dale Green one week; Xuna Starleaf the next.

I do not need this; it does not fit.

The traditonal FTM route is usually girl-andro-butch-FTM-man. And it is usually done at school. The name trick here usually goes more like Christine-Chris-Christoper or Veronica-Adrian*-Clark.

This is better for me. Much so.

Cassidy sounded too sassy; Garren is too masculine; Greer sounds like either "Queer" ("yes," ::looks up and down:: "I gathered that you're queer.") or, worse, Pam Greer; Unity is inspiring, save for in this backwards "democratic" culture; Carbon is, well I like Carbon, and might name my first child Carbon, or someone else's if I they lose to me at poker; and, finally I'm not religious, but "Loki" is asking for trouble. This being the case, I'm thinking that if I'm going to fuck up my gender, I'll go with "Sasha" first, and then decide where to go from there - the people I meet can draw  their own conclusions. I was planning on changing my name anyway.

Besides, Sasha means "defender of mankind," or at least that's what Aleksandr means, and somehow Sasha = Aleksandr.

I tried to fathom Slavonic naming customs once. I went blind for three days.

So I'll practice a bit, and may answer the phone as such, to see how it feels. I have to look into the paperwork so's to get all my ducks in a row at once, but I feel like doing it at a ceremony of some kind; where people are gathered to commemorate some annual event - like Yule, or sooner perhaps?


(I still can't believe I'm going through with this)


*There are about a dozen critical androgynous names circulating among 80% of FTM's and genderqueers - these come with a two year waitlist so as to avoid name erosion. "Adrian" has been declared at-risk by memetic ecologists and the UN FTM/GQ authourity ("UNFTMAGQA") has asked that all people named Adrian turn in their name in exchange for a shiny new nomiker and a pleasantly masculine toaster.

[identity profile] bthomasac.livejournal.com 2006-10-16 08:17 am (UTC)(link)
It occurs to me that you could take advantage of your last name and call yourself "Gray" or something similar ("Gray Fox," "Silver Fox," "Red Fox," etc.). I've always felt "Girl Fox" is a great name for a revolutionary, and am really disappointed that the character in my novel has not caught on as well as she could have.

[identity profile] rye-bunny.livejournal.com 2006-10-17 12:29 am (UTC)(link)
too furry. He will never be taken seriously on the internet again! But maybe you can get away with just Fox.

And I also thought Unity was too hippy. Sasha is my favorite. I also like Kelly, even though it's not on your list. I know a guy named Kelly.

It's fun coming up with names.

[identity profile] hundun.livejournal.com 2006-10-18 03:11 am (UTC)(link)
Cheers. Thank you both. I'm going with Sasha; going to see how it fits.

[identity profile] radiodog.livejournal.com 2006-10-16 09:08 am (UTC)(link)
>I tried to fathom Slavonic naming customs once. I went blind for three days.

I am currently reading Tolstoy and Dostoyevsky at the same time. I couldn't actually remember my roommate's name.

tolstoy.

[identity profile] bloodykitty.livejournal.com 2006-10-16 05:38 pm (UTC)(link)
it's impressive that you remember your own.

Re: tolstoy.

[identity profile] radiodog.livejournal.com 2006-10-17 06:14 am (UTC)(link)
Who says I do?

[identity profile] estrellada.livejournal.com 2006-10-16 04:00 pm (UTC)(link)
*There are about a dozen critical androgynous names circulating among 80% of FTM's and genderqueers - these come with a two year waitlist so as to avoid name erosion. "Adrian" has been declared at-risk by memetic ecologists and the UN FTM/GQ authourity ("UNFTMAGQA") has asked that all people named Adrian turn in their name in exchange for a shiny new nomiker and a pleasantly masculine toaster.

Yes, oh lord, yes. The other route is when chosing a 'male' name when you're all out and shit, but a 'male' name on the top 10 list of male names. Therefore, I hereby refuse to refer to you as "Michael" "David" "Matthew" "Robert" or "Andrew", or any commonly used variant.

Another idea is you can just go by your last name for a while. "Fox".

I know a couple peeps who have done naming ceremonies, for various reasons. You could always, of course, take your time with it and make sure the name will settle well.

[identity profile] estrellada.livejournal.com 2006-10-16 04:00 pm (UTC)(link)
I am tired and on crack.

Same goes for Jennifer, Jessica, Melissa, or Sarah.
(deleted comment)

[identity profile] estrellada.livejournal.com 2006-10-18 03:43 am (UTC)(link)
For naming ceremonies, you generally just make it up as you go along, altho Cunnginham's "Wicca: A guide for the solitary practitioner" has some good practical advice for ritual structure. I also love planning rit, so we can talk about that sometime.

What are you doing tommorow night?

[identity profile] hundun.livejournal.com 2006-10-18 03:46 am (UTC)(link)
I have some schoolwork, but I also have some free time. The weekend from Friday onward is also good.

[identity profile] estrellada.livejournal.com 2006-10-18 03:49 am (UTC)(link)
I have a pass for Borat at 9PM at Metropolis. I thought any movie with the subtitle "Cultural Learnings of America for Make Benefit Glorious Nation of Kazakhstan" we HAD to see.

[identity profile] hundun.livejournal.com 2006-10-18 03:14 am (UTC)(link)
For some reason, I can't introduce myself as "Fox" with a straight face. Can you tell me more, or suggest a resource about thise naming ceremonies?

Ooh. Before I forget, "Sexualities" is available for free through the SFU library's electronic journals.

[identity profile] eva00.livejournal.com 2006-10-16 05:25 pm (UTC)(link)
Sasha is good. And I swear slavic nicknames are generated using a bizzare mathematical formula or something.

And beginning to refer to yourself by the new name will help. Look at Navi. How many people even know her real name? I knew her for over a year before I even heard it.

[identity profile] hundun.livejournal.com 2006-10-18 03:15 am (UTC)(link)
Navi has a real name? Lies!