Establishing Foundations

Plurality

Conventionally, we treat a human body and an identity as a one-to-one relationship. A body represents (or, contains) one person, and while they may change over time, they remain the same individual.

This "singlet" model of identity suits the majority of the population. However, there is a significant minority (roughly 1 in 50) that instead utilise a "plural" model. These plural systems identify multiple "selves" within their body - each with potentially differing attitudes, memories, or even (by exchanging control of their body) voices, skills, and relationships.

Terminology

• Headmates - The individuals that comprise a plural system (aka its members) - used similarly to "roommates". May or may not be able to directly communicate with one another.
• Fronting - A system member having control of the body they're in (i.e. being "in the front" of the body; at the wheel). Usually not black-and-white, with partial and shared fronting common.
• Switching - Headmates exchanging control of the body (i.e. "switching in" to the front and "switching out" to the back). Not universal, but a common experience.

The Plural Umbrella

As with non-conventional differences in gender and sexuality (or anything else perceived as "in the brain"), plurality is largely met with skepticism. This is true regardless of medicalisation: related diagnoses often dismiss plurality as a delusion to be fixed, and plurality not classified medically is often dismissed as baseless attention-seeking.

As such, it's productive to understand that plurality is a new term, but one that seeks to describe widespread, pre-existing phenomena - and unite those that experience it. Those that choose to use a plural identity model do so because it's the best way (or, indeed, the only way) to describe their life experiences. However, the interpretation of experiences as singular or plural, while often necessary, is still always an interpretation; someone with experiences others understand as plural might choose a singlet model, those using a plural model may decide to keep it purely to themselves, and so on - what helps the individual system (or singlet) is the most important thing.

To this end, the intent of plural advocacy is not to have more people be openly plural, but to offer more options with which to understand ourselves and eachother. Plurality is an umbrella, attempting to provide support and community for those with specific, undeniably human experiences - as well as a movement - advocating for plural systems' right to exist, be recognised and understood, and have the same autonomy, privacy, and participation in life as any singlet does.