What does Borderline Personality Have to do with it?

I have been diagnosed with just about every psychological disorder you can readily come up with at one point or another. I am not nuts. Maybe not completely stable, but not nuts. I am highly functioning, have a wife and kids and have always held down a full time job. After years of sitting in the chair, across from a doctor I was determined to dislike, recalling my life again and again, I have accumulated a variety of diagnoses. It took me over 20 years and probably as many doctors to realize that all of my symptoms were related, not an accumulation of several disorders. I have what is known as borderline personality disorder. The diagnosis actually came as a relief. It enabled me to throw out a lot of less desirable labels such as scizoaffective, bipolar and psychotic. Borderline personality disorder is not the same as the old multiple personality disorder we are familiar with. I am not Sybil.

I do not want to discuss the definition of BPD, but rather the effects it has and the yearning question of whether or not BPD has anything to do with my gender identity issues. In order to qualify for the prestigious label of borderline, you must exhibit five of about a dozen traits. I think I must be a poster child as I suffer most of them. However, most people can say they identify with many. Gender identity, self image, disassociation and multiple personality are a few of my fond criteria. As I stated above I am not Sybil. I am very well aware of the many sides of me. I do not 'become' someone else and all others are forgotten during that time. I choose to bring out certain personalities when they fit. I'm sure it was a defense mechanism early in my life, but now I see it as an advantage enabling me to fit into any situation comfortably.

So my question today is, am I gender queer because I am, or am I gender queer because I am certifiable? Did my identity issues coupled with my past bring on this psychological disorder or did the psychological disorder coupled with my past bring on my identity issues?