I just wanted to say thanks to everyone who\u2019s wished me well over the past day. I obviously have had better days, but all things considered I\u2019m feeling fairly positive about the outlook for the future.<\/p>\n
I\u2019ve done a lot of reading in the last day, and one thing that I am grateful for, other than the support of friends and readers, is that I\u2019ve been exposed to feminist thought. I know, it seems strange to bring that up in terms of testicular cancer, but I\u2019m serious. One of the recurring themes I\u2019ve seen in my readings is the concern that losing a testicle will make one \u201cless of a man.\u201d<\/p>\n
This isn\u2019t a silly fear; we metaphorically refer to manly gumption as \u201chaving balls.\u201d We talk freely about men being \u201cneutered\u201d or \u201ccastrated\u201d when they\u2019re silenced or marginalized. The testes, even more than the penis, are the metaphorical seat of manliness in popular culture. And so for many men, the loss of a testicle, even in the service of preventing death from cancer, is a traumatic psychological experience.<\/p>\n
Fortunately for me, I\u2019ve been exposed to the idea that what defines a person is not their gonads. I am no more \u201cmanly\u201d with two testicles than I will be with one, and if cancer takes that one someday, I\u2019ll still be no less manly. Who I am is not dictated by my genitals. And while there are no doubt a few MRA types who will find my demicastration appropriate, I will simply remember that I know an awful lot of humans who have never had testicles, who nevertheless embrace life without fear, who exhibit all the best of \u201cmanly\u201d characteristics \u2014 bravery, loyalty, intrepidity \u2014 despite not being men at all.<\/p>\n
And so I know that the loss of a testicle doesn\u2019t make me lose my identity, any more than the loss of my gall bladder has made me a different person. That knowledge is a gift. Yes, it\u2019s scary to face the potential of cancer, and I\u2019m not looking forward to surgery. But at least I do not need to fear that I am going to come out of surgery somehow less worthy than I was before.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
I just wanted to say thanks to everyone who\u2019s wished me well over the past day. I obviously have had better days, but all things considered I\u2019m feeling fairly positive about the outlook for the future. I\u2019ve done a lot … Continue reading