Hey reader, have you ever thought deeply about language?
How I put the letters c-a-t together and somehow you can connect them and have a notion of a cat I’m referencing. Surely the connection between the each letter in language is harmless, right? While most may gloss over the question and agree quickly, I truly believe Eli Clare would disagree, and assert that words can bear a burden that can be only defined by those who identify with said word. Confusing yet?
To have a point of entry, I will be referencing Clare’s chapter titled “Losing Home”. Throughout the chapter, specific words are italicized, adding an emphasis to them and drawing the reader’s attention, such as queer, exile, class, dyke, redneck, shame, and embarrassment. Although each word has a particular definition and specific part of speech, each provide Clare with a sense of identity. At the same time, these words provide each of us as readers an entirely different definition that we apply to ourselves. Clare even says himself, “I know the definitions. I need to enter the maze created by dyke identity, class location, and white rural roots” (32). Analyzing this one sentence alone, Clare is well aware of what words mean, but, at this point, is unaware of how they feel as a lived experiences. I want to pull these words out of the text and ask the question of what do these words mean to you? For some, words provide a sense of security or a revelation for their personal identity, where Clare would sit in the argument.
However, this inadvertently raises a set of problems. What about when labels are used negatively? I can speak for myself and my own experiences. I would never know what it meant to be manipulated if I did not do the research myself. This label of manipulation, allowed me to come to the realization that I was in a controlling and abusive relationship for three years. I could have spent three years of my life putting my efforts elsewhere, and by knowing what was happening to me, I do believe I saved my own life. With this being said, I never want to be called a victim. I’m in a healthy relationship, good grades, in good health, and am the first in my family to attend college. I am anything but a victim in my eyes. I am not defined by my past relationships. The same way many in the LGBTQ+ community wish not to be defined by their gender identity, sexuality, or otherwise. So what? Does this mean that words mean nothing or everything? I wish there was an answer written in black and white to point to, but to be utterly honest, I believe the answer lies in each of us. For Clare, words are powerful tools, used by all. For me, words are tools, that I use for myself and myself only. I really hate labels, what about you?
Your favorite crime,
JAY WALKER
I so believe words are a powerful tool, and I think Clare really gives us a good reason to why that is. I think you place a fairly good reason to how words can be used to serve different purposes. I think something that is essential to how words carry their meaning all depends on the meaning that society also associates with said words. I think these meanings also in turn create labels, emotions, and feelings that are hard to work around. I am one to also hate labels, but a part of me uses them still because in a way it also creates community for those who share its meaning. Your story also sheds light on the way that words carry societal concept which in turn also shapes the way we experience our life.
I would argue that words are a powerful tool. We should also consider identity and the language surrounding identity to be equally powerful. Perhaps, we might consider how our world would be without identity, or rather, without things for each of us to identify with. The lack of personhood would be traumatizing. We might also consider that this need for radical individualism is a super Western idea, and that perhaps, it’s okay to not understand aspects of your identity. Perhaps, it is even okay to not know what makes you different from everyone else or to not have something that makes you unique.
I found the point you made regarding the arbitrary connection between letters forming a word and the meaning we assign it and how we fill it with identity very interesting. I agree with you on the burden it can bring to be involuntarily “stamped” with a label by others, a label you neither signed up for nor want to be called, and that’s a type of labeling where I agree with you in hating it. However, I cannot say that I hate labels in general, but I am rather torn between not liking them and finding them helpful for myself. For a long time, I had no idea how to describe my identity and where to find people that might understand that part of me, so once I entered queer spaces on- and offline and found connection there, it really helped me coming to terms with my own identity. During this process, I was thankful for finding certain labels that helped me in describing myself and connecting with others. So even though I frequently keep changing my label preferences and mostly just use queer as an umbrella term for myself, I still am thankful for having encountered labels and the help they have been for me at a time in my past.
Hi Jay Walker,
I definitely agree with your take on language. Your post helped me focus on aspects of Eli’s Clare writing that I’d never noticed before by directing me to the italicized labels of identity. I also lppreciated how you use language in your own life by not giving yourself labels.
I personally am in theame way. I feel labels only separate us, so I don’t like to use labels for myself either.