Weasel, I love it. I wonder if this is a generational thing, though? I am 56 and most of my friends have never had drinking issues and are also socially liberal. It seems that later generations are less likely to conflate, say, addiction and gayness, or "alternative lifestyles" and shame or stigma?
My father was gay, and an alcoholic, and from what I know of his history he drank to escape a crappy childhood and a whole lot of guilt. But he was from a Catholic background that stigmatized all of that.
Anyhow, to your main point - you are saying, basically, that your alcoholism doesn't define you, right? And I totally agree with that. We are so much more than our addiction. I think that is my main issue with my experience with AA (and I know that it has been an incredibly useful tool for millions of people) - that the AA old-timers I got to know are so wrapped up in that one aspect of their lives, it seemed....limiting. Don't get me wrong; it's a beautiful alternative to daily drinking and since it works, more power to it. But I agree: if possible, I'd rather be remembered for my true self, not my label as The Noble Alcoholic. Because that is totally not me.