what does Eunuch mean to you as an identity term?

[devi (imported)]

Myself, I have never identified as a male. Never. Biologically I was never able to ever have my own children. My testicles went mostly undeveloped. It did not go unnoticed at the doctor's office, clinic, locker room, and the military which didn't accept me for that medical reason (I felt relieved about the last one). But not being given the opportunity to be other than a "male", I did have to do certain things in order not to stand out such as to speak forcefully, exercise, and then after going a number of weeks without shaving at all I would have just enough to show and then leave it. It's actually not that many years ago since I became an actual "eunuch" in the common definition of that word. I had finally found someone to perform an orchiectomy for me. To me, in my mind, I have always been a eunuch and will always be one, not completely born a eunuch but pretty close. Unfortunately we're trapped in a binary society where only the terms "male" and "female" are acceptable and to be able to change from one to other very prohibitive. There should really be a third gender construct which would include most eunuchs. And in fact in such countries as Argentina, Uruguay, India and others this is now legally acceptable. You can now put an "O" instead of an "M" or an "F". This would be acceptable to me.

[Fixet (imported)]

I don't see myself as a man, nor am I one.

I don't dislike my testicles or the rest, but I just hate the Testosterone, and what it has done to me.

I never had a sexual interest to male/female, I don't know if it qualifies to being asexual, I have sexual feelings, I just don't know where to direct it, and I hate it.

[purpletomato (imported)]

kristoff: that's nice to hear! I remember you posting a while ago that you had told hardly anyone. I'm very glad things worked out for you.

Raymar: I like "testicle-free individual" . Though, mine aren't permanently removed yet, just permanently disabled [and hopefully not carcinogenic].

smoothie36, considering: I disagree. I don't mean to sound condescending, but I think you might see things differently [or at least more complexity] if you did in fact not identify with your assigned-at-birth gender. I don't like using binary-identified people as "examples" but perhaps that's most clear: I imagine many trans-women wouldn't use Eunuch, just like cis-women (non-transgender women) wouldn't use the term Eunuch for themselves.

Tugon: I appreciate your story. It's cool that you identify as Eunuch but not male -- my personal interpretation of the word is that Eunuch usually implies male (altered male, but male), and it's great to hear how everyone identifies differently. When I was Eunuch-identified, I had no interest in being female; now, I'd like to have some female body characteristics [more of a want than a need -- I don't strongly identify as having or not having breasts, but they seem nice], and find expressing femininity expressive (there's nothing like dresses, skirts, leggings, etc. in typical western men's wardrobe), fun, potentially flirty, and ultimately a huge source of strength, as [for an assigned-male person] one has to get over a lot of internalized fears to do it.

FLO, unencumbered: yeah, Eunuch has a lot of historical baggage. Another reason I don't use it personally, but respect others who choose to. To me, connotations are just as important as denotations, but I can see how it's useful for alluding to [an aspect of] one's current physical state.

janekane: I agree often terms mean more about what other people think of you, but you can use them to influence how others think of you. On the other hand, it's difficult to say how each individual will perceive the word Eunuch, so you can't say they're necessarily passing on negative judgement, for example. I don't agree that we're all just people -- I think certain differences are important, and worth naming. Having language for myself (gender-nonconforming, genderqueer, effectively castrated, queerly feminine, physical transitioner, lacking social intelligibility, hormone-modified, body-modified, body dysphoric, pansexual-asexual-spectrum or "somewhat asexual", once Eunuch-identified) is powerful, liberating, even if most other people don't understand it.

devi: completely agree with being able to have an "O" (I think there's also an "X" option in the UK/Australia/NZ, with pronoun Mx, pronounced "mix"). But, when you say "

third gender construct which would include most

Eunuchs", I think it'd be better to allow people of all body types to be part of any possibly-empty set of gender cohorts, than mandate Eunuchs identify as third gender -- certainly, many respondees of this thread have said they identify as male.

Fixet: I think many asexuals use the term to say "lack of attraction", rather than lack of libido -- some describe masturbation as [paraphrasing] "something that feels nice, but isn't sexual". Sorry you don't like your feelings -- why not?

[Fixet (imported)]

Fixet: I think many asexuals use the term to say "lack of attraction", rather than lack of libido -- some describe masturbation as [paraphrasing] "something that feels nice, but isn't sexual". Sorry you don't like your feelings -- why not?

I don't know why, maybe it has grown to me, as a boy I would hate growing up, so a lot of things associated to be a "man" I don't like. So I could identify myself a eunuch.

[devi (imported)]

devi: completely agree with being able to have an "O" (I think there's also an "X" option in the UK/Australia/NZ, with pronoun Mx, pronounced "mix"). But, when you say "

third

gender construct which would include most

Eunuchs", I think it'd be better to allow people of all body types to be part of any possibly-empty set of gender cohorts, than mandate Eunuchs identify as third gender -- certainly, many respond

ees of this thread have said they identify as male.

I agree. There are also many women especially that should be included too.

You do grow up differently as you grow up knowing that you could never get pregnant nor could ever cause anyone to get pregnant. It's not something you could normally mention to anyone you're going out with since they'd say, "Yeah RIGHT!" Nor would you take advantage of this to be able to have sex since you're not all that attractive to other adults to begin with by reason of not looking very adultlike. You're like everyone's younger brother. And what's more is that your thinking is very different than most others on a great number of levels. Sometimes you're pushed into finally finding someone and to get married but this never works out at all since it's just not in you to do that. You just don't interpret the future as having a great career, house, and family like most others nor are you a drunk or druggie or just plain down on your luck like the other group. You do live your life differently and then as you get old you find yourself around others that not only have gone out many time but have married, divorced and have even had children unlike you. Yes. You are different.

[Marian-Zero (imported)]

As a child I had a strange imagination. I dreamed that my lower body was made ​​of crystal. Of course, without sexual organs. And later I also dreamed of being a lizardman. Again without genitals or nipples and without navel.

Well, that's not new to me.

[smoothie36 (imported)]

Basically nothing, I am a male and if anyone want to know, I have no balls nor an appendix for that matter.

[Hash (imported)]

Amputee's are missing some limb, finger, or toe, quadriplegics are paralyzed from the neck down with no ability to move their limbs, eunuchs have lost their testicles, they could be amputee's, but amputee's don't want them included as amputee's. Eunuchs physically have had their testicles removed and if they're not using HRT, they're deprived of testosterone which causes osteoporosis, muscle loss, impotence, etc., in this way they are physically different than intact males. To me it means I'm no longer completely male, that due to castration, I'm different physically, emotionally, and mentally.

[jako9999 (imported)]

To me having no nuts makes me a Eunuch and missing a scrotum makes it look even more so, I do take a very small dose of T but its not for any sort of drive more to help with medical problems as I age and trying to stop them before they start. MY body has changed my muscles are smaller as are my wrists and lower legs but at the same time my stomach has put on weight and the breasts are a little larger but these are small changes that we have to put up with for the joy of living as we want to in a castrated life, I see my self as a man just not a full one anymore but certainly a happier one and that's what counts.

[Eunic JHD (imported)]

I have always been open about my being a Eunuch. Maybe it's because I have been one for so long, but I simply don't care what others think. Others are open about things far worse than being a Eunuch and personally, I am not ashamed of who I am.