While I was amused to be categorized as such, what amazed me more was the need to actually box someone into a restricted name space. Twenty years later, the world is still labeling and judging folks, putting them in boxes, nice, neat, and sorted.

Will we ever judge the individual and not the box we put them in?

Maybe with your words will might.

Personally I don’t see the problem with spouse. Ok, now I know that you do I would probably try and remember not to use it in relation to you. However, it is a common word without, as far as I’m aware, any negative connotations. If I didn’t know and you absolutely blew up the first time I used the term then I’d be upset.

Not saying you personally would do so, just an example of where I feel PC/”can’t-say-anything-that-could-conceivably-upset-anybody” sometimes goes too far.

I absolutely agree with what you say. I just don’t want us to go too far in the other direction. The only way to never to say anything that offends somebody is to say nothing at all. Sometimes you just have to accept that the way you took something was not the way it was meant. If you let the person know, and they are reasonable, hopefully they’ll avoid similar comments to you in the future.

(hehe, it could be worse. By the looks of it http://www.fantasticpoems.com/Poems/community-creatures all us bloggers are just insects anyway! Ok so insects have been insanely successful but COME ON!)

As individuals we have so much to offer, as a group we get lowered to a common denominator that doesn’t describe any of us.

I agree, it’s not self-centered to know who we are, because if we do then we know all of the parts and they value out to a human — nothing perfect, but made of the same stuff as stars just like everyone else.

Thank you for your thoughtful response. It’s fun to talk with you. :)