No more booze? What name would/do you go by?

[Angrboda]

Identity is a personal decision. My memories of my father are that he always had a drink in his hand. But I'm hesitant to call him an alcoholic.

I drink a good bit. There are people who have worried that I have a problem with alcohol. I'm not one of them. So I wouldn't feel any obligation to qualify myself that way.

Recently I participated in a discussion about atheism which diverted to the topic of identifying oneself as atheist. When I'm dealing with people of other faiths, I find it more comfortable to say that I'm unaffiliated with any religion. But some argued that they wanted to be known as atheist, both for themselves and others. There's something inherently political about adopting a label or identification. Part of it has to do with how you feel about yourself, and how adopting a specific identity affects you. Part of it involves how other people will be affected, what you will be communicating to them, both intentional and unintentional.

Transgenderism is a case in point. Some need a specific gender to be associated with themselves. Some genderqueer people find no use in adopting a specific gender label. It's very personal, and very political.