FiddlerNotes:  So Apparently this is a thing.

Hey all, February is here and it’s my turn at the blog.  This was going to be a bit of a whinge about how Mother Nature is off her meds and I’d really like to plant my garden, but we had a thing happen.

Not a big thing or even more than a poorly laid, much driven over speed bump, but it was a first, and there’s a couple of things that I feel like I need to address.  First, Open Beta is run as a true democracy.  The three of us need to agree on a change to how we run things for the change to happen.  That means that EVERYTHING about us, from our colors, to our band name, to new merchandise, is decided between all active members of the band. No one person is in charge, and no one person makes a sweeping decision.

Second is something a lot more personal that I broached back in June of last year.  I am aware that 90% of the time I dress fairly feminine.  Girly even.  An outlandish mix of goth, solarpunk, hobbitcore, mild decora, and neeeeeerrrrrd.  That doesn’t mean I identify as strictly ‘female’.  You can check any social media I’m on, and I list my pronouns. She/They.  I slide between nonbinary and genderfluid, and likely always will.  Though my mental image rarely slips into the masculine it does and has, and is likely to do so again in the future. Does that mean less because I dress the way I do ?  Hell no.  I own NO ONE androgyny, nor should I have to educate someone for that simple respect.

Possibly as important as it comes from my formative years as a deeply rooted Trekkie, “female” immediately brings to mind the ST:TNG episode The Last Outpost, and makes my skin crawl.  Closer to current, many TERFs tend to use that specific word to exclude trans folx from rights and conversation.  As nonbinary/genderfluid/genderqueer I fall under that trans umbrella.  Fringes of it yes, but still.  I have people that I count as family that are deeper under that umbrella, and Both myself personally and the band as a whole stands in solidarity with them.  So, if you are a TERF and have no desire to learn or change, I speak for all of us in the band: The door is over there, don’t let it hit you on the ass on the way out.  If you’re of that opinion, but are willing to learn?  Stick around, but don’t break Wil Weaton’s Rule #1 (That means don’t be a dick).

This goes a LONG way to say: If you have a question about or suggestion for the band, check out this website first. We all are very transparent about who we are and what we stand for.  As bards, we have to be.  We are the Word carriers, crafting news and the first notes of change into rhyme and song.  DO NOT assume from a picture about us, or really anyone you want to pontificate at.  And do not presume to tell ANYONE how they should proceed in something so dear to their heart and soul.

Now, Imma go frag some pixels, maybe write a new fiddle tune.  See y’all next month!