We self-apply all sorts of labels. Conservative. Atheist. Lesbian. Asian. Enby. And thousands more.
But this wealth of definitions can be a contentious affair. People don’t always agree on what labels belong to what people, or what labels should be acknowledged at all.
Since I believe the human experience is inherently free, I don’t wish to stipulate what someone can or can’t call themselves. But since I also believe in the utility of right and wrong, and in science, I see the point of exclusivity. So, I conceive of three types of labels:
1. Open labels denote concepts that are abstract or nebulous, and they’re free to use. All you need to qualify for an open label is your desire to do so. Gender labels, for instance, are open. Only you know what gender you are, and what that gender entails for you. Other examples include labels of religion, nationality, and ideology. Their openness doesn’t mean that people self-apply them lightly; it’s still a matter of identity. I do my best to acknowledge and respect them.
2. Restricted labels denote scientific truths or concepts with sensitive history, so they come with more exacting criteria. You only qualify for a restricted label if you possess its corresponding characteristics. Labels pertaining to sex, for instance, are restricted, as sex is a biological fact. Other examples include labels of ethnicity, citizenship (contrast both with nationality), age, and class. Adopting one you don’t qualify for will bring social penalties.
3. Descriptive labels are adjectives. They’re neither open nor restricted, but culturally defined. Let’s say you’re a woman (open label) and biologically female (restricted label). Even with those two in place, how feminine (descriptive label) you are is decided by the people around you, as they rate your consonance with the reigning perception of femininity. Of course, you’re free not to care.
That was my attempt to reconcile two personal beliefs: the inalienable freedom of identity, and society’s need of norms and a standardized vocabulary. No easy task, and not a perfect solution. How would you do it?