My Own Personal Identity Body Politic

By Don Hall

I am a man.

I am a white man.

I am a straight white cis-gendered man.

I am a straight white cis-gendered trumpet-playing man.

I am a straight white cis-gendered trumpet-playing man writer.

I am a straight white cis-gendered trumpet-playing man writer from the South and Midwest.

I am a straight white cis-gendered trumpet-playing man writer from the South and Midwest who lives in Chicago.

I am a straight white cis-gendered trumpet-playing man writer from the South and Midwest who lives in Chicago who was a public school teacher.

I am a straight white cis-gendered trumpet-playing man writer from the South and Midwest who lives in Chicago who was a public school teacher, an actor, a director and a producer of theater.

I am a straight white cis-gendered trumpet-playing man writer from the South and Midwest who lives in Chicago who was a public school teacher, an actor, a director and a producer of theater who used to host a national storytelling show.

I am a straight white cis-gendered trumpet-playing man writer from the South and Midwest who lives in Chicago who was a public school teacher, an actor, a director and a producer of theater who used to host a national storytelling show and produced events for NPR.

I am a straight white cis-gendered trumpet-playing man three times married, twice divorced writer from the South and Midwest who lives in Chicago who was a public school teacher, an actor, a director and a producer of theater who used to host a national storytelling show and produced events for NPR who loves science fiction.

I am a straight white cis-gendered trumpet-playing progressive man three times married, twice divorced writer and freelance events producer from the South and Midwest who lives in Chicago who was a public school teacher, an actor, a director and a producer of theater who used to host a national storytelling show and produced events for NPR who loves science fiction and cheese.

The list of labels can go on forever. How many labels before my identity topples over?