straightacting
15 May 2000
The quiz at straightacting.com is making the rounds on Web logs.
I originally reported a 41 score, but I must revise. Over the weekend when Marlin took the quiz (he scored a 69 <grin>) I discovered he threw out our old cache of incense. Therefore, my score drops to a 39 (level 2) … very straightacting. Funny, I didn’t think I was "acting" at all. But the quiz is amusing and good for a few laughs.
All in fun, but …
I really do not like the term "straightacting." I don’t have a problem with "butch" or "fem." Queer boys throw around a lot of labels, and I don’t generally have a problem with most of them (although "top" and "bottom" can be misleading, because you can bottom while being on top. And vice versa. But I digress…)
"Straightacting" is just a bad label. I’m not acting when I change the oil in my car. I’m not acting when I am glued to the television set (and espn.com) for 10 consecutive hours on autumn Sundays watching football. No, that’s just me being me.
Lots of breeder boys change their own oil and watch football, too. And I’ll bet lots of breeder boys pluck their eyebrows, take baths, drink wine, and have a manicure every once in a while. So I suppose I’m far more "straightacting" than a lot of those heterosexuals out there.
Scan the male-for-male personals and you’ll find "straightacting" is an often-used term for screening out the undesirables. In reality, these folks are probably less concerned about how their potential dates/partners/f_ck buddies "act" around them and are more concerned about other people’s perceptions of who they are hanging out with. And that’s the sad part.
So have fun. Take the silly quiz. I agree with jonno. I’m afraid people take this far too seriously. A side benefit, however, is that it’s insightful. Jonno scored 6 – mostly feminine. I have nude pictures of jonno’s boyfriend, and I’d trade places with jonno for a day even if it means getting a facial, singing showtunes and repeatedly watching The Bridges of Madison County. And that, folks, would be "acting."
And remember, whatever you score on the straightacting quiz, please keep it in perspective. Be yourself … don’t let your sexual orientation define who or what you are.