What is Character?

July 18, 2005

Character is defined by Oxford Dictionary as: n. 1. all those qualities that make a person, group or thing what he/she/it is and different from others. 2. a person's moral nature. 3. moral strength. 4. a person, especially a noticeable or eccentric one. 5. a person in a novel or play... "

I am a character... in fact, I am a myriad of characters. I have many facets and social personas, and I decide which to put on depending upon my mood, situation and environment. While my characters may not be as radically different in outer appearance as a M-to-F transition, they are nonetheless each finely crafted and based upon many years of growth and introspection.

I use a certain character for business relations, one that is logical, forthright, unemotional, down-to-earth, diligent, and quite male in demeanor. I have another character that is a fun and flirty party girl who likes to dance the night away. I have a sweet little baby girl character, and yet another who is a commanding dominatrix bitch. I have a spiritual seeker, philanthropist, nurturer character, and I am host to a haughty prima-donna character as well. Ideally my characters would live in total harmony, although regretfully this is not always the case. I am a character that is being refined continuously as I strive to reach wholeness, totality, completion as a human being.

I am more than just Michele, yet she is intricately woven into the fabric of myself, and inextricable from the larger me. You as a transwoman are a feminine character that has been developed quite strategically, rather than a random haphazard compilation of traits resulting merely from circumstance. You are putting conscious thought into developing your femme self as an identity based on aspects of your real self. She is the shell you wear to outwardly express an aspect of your true nature. I can totally relate to this.

I love the creative expression that goes into character building. With the simple changing of external adornments, mannerisms and language, it is possible to switch between the choice of a huge spectrum of available personas. We can appear to be whatever we choose to display.

Generally it is assumed that our outer shell is a reflection of who we are inside, although this is not always the case. Perception is often deceiving. Many nuances go into building a persona/identity/image, from personal beliefs and preferences, to the social environment and intention of the message. I enjoyed your examples of characters who transition from the mundane to larger-than-life.

In both cases, a process or journey is inherant in the change, with the goal of becoming something much more brilliant than the original self. The message here is to encourage people to break the mold, and be characters in their own right.