The Fimbria controversies (Nova Roma)

The Fimbria controversies

Background:

An individual with long-time gender identity questions, known as Lucius Marius Fimbria in the Roman circles s/he'd been frequenting for over seven years, became interested in Nova Roma.

Said individual, after some indecision (chiefly religious), applied for and was granted Citizenship as "Lucia Maria Fimbria", as s/he was a woman in appearance, and wanted to avoid any awkwardness in the event of any face-to-face meetings.

This Citizen otherwise functioned as a male, both within and without Nova Roma. All his/her written contributions were as Lucius Marius Fimbria, and fellow-Cives referred to him/her in the masculine.

Some years later, Lucius Marius wished to reconcile his/her entry in the Album Civium with the rest of his/her Roman life and Nova Roman experience. S/he had come to realize in the meantime that s/he was in fact transgendered, which could be expressed in Roman terms as his/her having been born with a genius rather than a iuno for a guiding spirit, and that it was less important for his Roman name to be consistent with outward appearances than for it to be true to his soul. He requested that his registered Roman name be changed to reflect this more developed understanding of his being.

Lucius Marius Fimbria regarded this action as a simple request for correction of records.

The administration regarded it as a trivialisation of Nova Roma, potentially reducing Her in the eyes of onlookers to little more than an online roleplaying game, and was not receptive to his explanations.

Controversy ensued.

More later...