Notion: noun, no·tion

• an individual's conception or impression of something known, experienced, or imagined
• small useful items, specifically those used in sewing and other fiber arts

Simply put, I'm a notion, a concept, an idea! You don't get the full scope of a person's identity, their likes, dislikes, personality, ideals and what they hold dear, until you've really spent time with them. Until then, I'm a notion.

Or, on the other hand, I'm something insignificant on its own but usefull in building something bigger! Something with a unique practical purpose that has its part to play on the team. The simple physical process behind a creative work. Just a little obscure chunk of metal at the bottom of a drawer. A single button.

I'm not changing my name, not really. I'm just giving myself a new name, a pseudonym.

When I was younger, I always felt a dissonance between who I felt inside and who pepole saw me as, I don't think this is a unique experience. When cathing up with relatives or family friends once a year or so the question always was "what are you making?""what are you working on?". The focus always being on my art, an easy topic to focus on that seems more personal than small talk at least, less personal than taking the time to hear what was actually going on in my life. As I teen of course I was angsty about it, "you don't know who I really am, all you care about is what's presentable to you" etc etc. But now, I have a lot more empathy for those seemingly surface level conversations. You can't have the space to know everyone deeply, the average person just doesn't have that emotional badwidth. But to me, that doesn't mean that separation is gone.

And so I embrace it instead.

The surface level me, the one who makes public art, who shares in these niceties and puts themselves out into the world has a different name now. The original me saves their energy, holds themselves back as a privledge and a reward for those few who really do become close enough to make that mutual effort to know more than what is given out to others and learn to really understand each other as a whole being.

Can you use my real name? Well I'd rather you not. Essentially, I want it to become more intimate, more valuable. I still am that name, that person, that set of pronouns, I'm just putting up a bit of a curtain. Using my real name is a breach of privacy, I didn't invite you in here. Unless you're family, or a close friend who I've talked to about this, please don't. This extends to my real last name too.

At the same time, it's not a deadname, this redefining of my public identity bears resemblance to that sort of trans experience, but my intentions and feelings aren't all the same. Using it just shows you respect me and my wants as an artist, and that's what's important.

Why can't a stage name come with stage pronouns?

When talking about me in a permenent and public setting like a social media post or program, I go by it/it's pronouns. There's an example of how this works on my front page in my bio. In person though, I still use any pronouns, and prefer a mix of they/he/she/it etc over just picking one.

Same reasons I chose the name Notion, I'm a concept and not a person. Isn't that dehumanizing? Only if I feel like it is. Which I don't. The thing you're calling "it" is only the projection of me that exists in your head. I also feel like any pronoun you choose is going to convey something, and even "they" doesn't feel as neutral as I want it to.

But if that's a little too conceptual, you've used it/it's for humans before. What about corpses, ghosts, and zombies?

Pretend I'm a zombie. Brains. Blegh.

Credit me with my full site title, Six Letter Notion, in any instance that you'd use my full name. Such as a program, website, etc. My full bio is already on my site ready for copying.

Do I want you to go back and change how you've referred to me in the past? Nah. Do what you want. If you want to update old stuff, you can. Especially if it's something professional like a website crediting me for something that I made. But don't worry too much about it. Again, not a deadname.

ALSO I'm still in this transition myself, it'll take me a while to change it everywhere, etc. etc.