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Taliesin · Oct 31, 2019 8:16 PM

Hi guys!
I changed my account and forum name from Natalya1917 to Taliesin, and I wanted to make a post letting you all know and giving you a bit of an explanation!

I'm genderfluid, which is something I've been trying to find my balance on for a while now. For those not familiar with the term, it means my gender identity changes over time, from male to female to neither or even both. I've been this way all my life, though figuring it out has been a journey! For me, what pronouns I'd actually prefer changes along with my gender, but for the sake of ease for everybody, I just default to neutral 'they' pronouns (with people I'm actually out to, anyway).

One thing that's been bothering me about all this is my name. I actually love my (very unusual, not Natalya) birth name, but it is gendered enough that I'm only comfortable with it some days, so I've been trying to find something similar sounding and equally unusual, but more neutral, and I'm settling on Taliesin. I'd like to 'test drive' it though, and obviously Natalya is pretty gendered too, which has been bothering me, so I thought this wonderful and welcoming community might be just the place to see how it feels to actually wear the name!

So I'd appreciate it if you guys would call me by my new name! It's pronounced tally-ES-in ('tally' like a tally mark), and Tal and Tali are good short forms, if you wanna shorten it.

Thank you all so much, you're really helping me out here!

Also happy Halloween! And blessed Samhain! And feliz Dia de los Muertos! And a wonderful whatever you celebrate, if it's something else!

LenasHollywood · Nov 1, 2019 3:20 AM

I like the new name! It’s such a shame that our society doesn’t have a singular (rather than they, which is traditionally plural) non-gender specific pronoun. The English language is always making me crazy. Anyway, happy Friday Tali, just one more day and it’s the long overdue weekend :)

Taliesin · Nov 1, 2019 4:25 AM

Thank you! Yeah, no kidding! It would be useful even for cis people, not just the trans/nonbinary folks. English definitely has its flaws!
Happy Friday!

BlueBoy · Nov 1, 2019 6:30 AM

Woooooooo! So happy for you! I love it!

Vella · Nov 1, 2019 7:21 AM

That's a really neat name! I hope the "test drive" goes well! <3

StarsetRoyale · Nov 1, 2019 7:34 AM

Thank you for choosing us to try your new name out with! <3 I hope if you take it to the real world that it goes well! :D

SandyCreekAcres · Nov 1, 2019 8:05 AM

What a great, historic and poetic name you've chosen to try out! Good luck with it.

HorseAngel · Nov 1, 2019 8:14 AM

Cool name! Hope you find a new name that works for you! Happy Halloween!

Taliesin · Nov 1, 2019 10:01 AM

Thanks everybody! I grin like an idiot every time I see it!
@SandyCreek, I gotta say, I didn't expect anybody to recognize it!

AlloraKerrhy · Nov 1, 2019 3:45 PM

I love unusual names. :)

EndingfireFarm · Nov 1, 2019 6:04 PM

English has had singular they since the 14th century. Darn useful it is, too. :)

I love the new name.

Tuwamare · Nov 1, 2019 8:50 PM

Love the name!

LCorona001 · Nov 1, 2019 8:52 PM

Oh I love this :x

Taliesin · Nov 1, 2019 9:09 PM

@Endingfire I do remember reading that! It doesn't that long before it stops feeling awkward if you use it that way too. English doesn't have separate plural and singular versions of "you" either

SherwoodStables · Nov 2, 2019 12:33 PM

I love the name!
@Endingfire said it before I got the chance- The singular "they" has lots of precedent. You're in some lovely literary company :D

Herzeloyde · Nov 2, 2019 2:04 PM

Great name!

Crowned1 · Nov 2, 2019 7:12 PM

@Taliesin - Y'all is definitely the plural of you (although it can also be used as a singular). ;)

Taliesin · Nov 2, 2019 8:06 PM

I was waiting for somebody to say that! So what does "all y'all" mean?

DoublinShowQHS · Nov 2, 2019 8:09 PM

All of you!

Vella · Nov 3, 2019 5:48 AM

I've seen it said that "y'all" covers up to "a few" (so i think technically 7 or fewer), and then "all of y'all" covers either more or an unknown number.
I personally use and love "y'all" but have never used "all of y'all" except in joking/exasperation.

SharayahStables · Nov 3, 2019 5:57 AM

I use y’all, but I live in Alabama LOL

Vella · Nov 3, 2019 6:12 AM

My FB feed happened to show up with a post about it. I saw a few entertaining explanations such as "'y'all' is plural & everything's fine, 'all y'all' is plural & one of you is gonna get spanked when we get home," but then there was this that seemed more accurate to my experience:
"Y’all is used for more than one person. It could be two or two million.
All y’all is for everyone in a group.
So, in a room full of people, you might ask the six people in the corner, “Do y’all want some sweet tea?” Or, you could ask the entire room, “Would all y’all like to go outside and get some barbecue?”"

PersianPenName · Nov 3, 2019 6:35 AM

Oh man, I have been mispronouncing Taliesin - putting the stress on the 2nd syllable instead of the 3rd. Grats on your new name, may it rest well on your shoulders!

Taliesin · Nov 5, 2019 4:38 PM

Ah, @Vella that makes sense. In Yank-speak, that would probably be "Does anybody want some soda?" and "Does everybody want to go outside and get some barbecued chicken?" respectively.

I do know that 'they' has been used as a singular for a long time, and I totally intend to keep using it that way, I just also wish English had a separate neutral singular pronoun. It just feels like it would be smoother and clearer. I also wish we had separate singular and plural 'you's', too. North of the Mason-Dixon, anyway! :)) But seriously, several times I've switched to Spanish to clarify- "No, I mean ustedes, not tu!"

@PersianPenName, Yeah, I thought it might be one where clarifying pronunciation would be wise. It's said a couple of different ways, but that's the one I use. Thank you!

And thank you guys! Don't think I haven't noticed how y'all ( ;) ) have been going out of your way to call me 'Taliesin' or 'Tali'!

DoublinShowQHS · Nov 5, 2019 4:41 PM

Yank Speak?

Taliesin · Nov 5, 2019 4:48 PM

The vernacular of Yankies, ie Northern U.S. residents. I'm from Minnesota, for clarity

DoublinShowQHS · Nov 5, 2019 5:14 PM

I know, but I've never heard people ever say that. Lol I'm from Indiana. I heard people say "Indiana Slang", but not Yank speak.

Taliesin · Nov 5, 2019 5:16 PM

I mean, I don't think I have heard anybody say exactly that either. I just picked some descriptors I like and made it a word

DoublinShowQHS · Nov 5, 2019 5:18 PM

Oh ok

HorseAngel · Nov 5, 2019 6:07 PM

Your from Minnesota? North or South Minnesota? I lived in Northern Minnesota for about 5years! Had also lived in Illinois for 3years right next to the Illinois-Indiana border so I have been to Indiana too and have definitely heard "Indiana Slang" a few times!

DoublinShowQHS · Nov 5, 2019 6:14 PM

Yes, Thank you!

I love hearing say "Oil" with different Accents! Lol You don't know if you have an accent till you say oil.

HorseAngel · Nov 5, 2019 6:18 PM

You have a point there, never thought about doing that with different accents, that would be fun lol! You should honestly hear my grandmother talk!

Taliesin · Nov 5, 2019 6:24 PM

I am! Southern Minnesota, though. Northern seems even colder, which, ugh, lol. But it's also got all those pretty forests!

Taliesin · Nov 5, 2019 6:25 PM

Everybody has an accent lol

DoublinShowQHS · Nov 5, 2019 6:26 PM

Lol! I'm a redneck so I watch guys fix diesel trucks. I love when they're changing the oil. Also, when I say Tranny. It means Transmission, I can't pronounce that word.

I want to start a chat where people like me talks about diesels, truck parts, etc. Lol Sorry my True self came out.

DoublinShowQHS · Nov 5, 2019 6:27 PM

No, really? Thanks for stating the obvious, Caption Obvious. =))

Taliesin · Nov 5, 2019 6:30 PM

I do my best!

HorseAngel · Nov 5, 2019 6:34 PM

Haha yeah it was a little (lot) colder and the snow drifts could bury a pickup truck most of the time but it made for great igloos! A lot of lakes up there too! Do you like Southern Minnesota? Not a fan of snow I take it? Had also lived in Alaska for 4years and South Dakota for awhile(also a LOT of snow there)! We move around a lot lol, might be moving to Maine or California sometime next year too!

Taliesin · Nov 5, 2019 6:45 PM

I was born in South Dakota and moved to MN in middle school, so I've always lived in these frozen wastelands lol. I actually love snow and winter, but nowadays my depression gets worse when the sun goes away, so I am less fond. If it were up to me, I'd rearrange the length of the seasons just a tad, but otherwise leave them as is! That doesn't actually work, astrogeologically speaking, but a body can dream!

Wingedeagle · Nov 6, 2019 3:06 AM

I also wish we had separate singular and plural 'you's', too.

This is why I sometimes wish we still used old English. It did have single and plural forms of "you". Thee, thou, and thine are singular; talking to one specific person. Ye is plural, talking to a group.

Sorry I am late in adding this. I just saw the discussion and wanted to chime in.

Ammit · Nov 6, 2019 3:29 AM

A great trial run as well is to go into Starbucks and order with that name. See how it feels to use it and get called by it.

Pagan · Nov 6, 2019 3:56 AM

I love the name Taliesin.

I have a deep interest in ancient mythology as does my second cousin. Her children are called Balan, Morgan & Taliesin.

If I remember correctly it translates to 'Shinning Brow'.

LenasHollywood · Nov 6, 2019 4:01 AM

Starbucks is a fantastic trial idea, Ammit!

Taliesin · Nov 6, 2019 9:05 AM

@Wingedeagle, I'm so sad we lost that! And then didn't get it back like some romance languages did! (Does that come from Latin? Does anybody know?)

@Ammit, I totally plan to try that! We'll see how Bagel Boy spells "Tali" lol. Another good idea I heard was to introduce yourself by your new name with a group of people you don't know and will likely never see again and go by it for the length of the conversation or interaction.

@Pagan, that is a fantastic set of kids names! All Arthurian references, and awesome sounding ones! And you do indeed remember correctly on the translation

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