When most of society sees you as a bit too different (whether it’s because you’re LGBTQ, are quiet, wear unique clothes, whatever), it can be extremely unsettling, disturbing, isolating, and downright painful when people you know and thought you could trust don’t believe you when you tell them who you are. It gets worse when they keep sticking to their guns despite your continued efforts to explain the situation to them.
People from all walks of life run into this problem. For example, it’s very common for those who are LGBTQ. It may come in the form of friends or relatives trying to convince a queer person that they’re not really queer, that it must be just a phase or confusion. The situation is compounded when the LGBTQ individual still won’t be believed despite their repeated efforts to explain who they are and how they feel. And it’s not just LGBTQ individuals who run into this issue. Others such as individuals who are quiet, have distinctive clothing styles, pursue unique interests, are neurodiverse, or are seen as a bit too different for some other reason commonly run into this problem.
It leaves us wondering why this happens?
Think about this: people are often uncomfortable with things they see as too different and don’t understand. As a result of this, it’s not uncommon for people to want to either change the individual whom they see as too different or to distance themselves from that individual, both of which are painful and isolating to the person subjected to this. It also leaves the people who are exhibiting this behavior as more narrow-minded to the diversity and beauty of life as compared to what they could be.
So I encourage and even plead for everyone to open their minds to things they may not understand and initially might see as a bit too different for their comfort. Now, I’m not saying put yourself unnecessarily in harm’s way. There are situations (like if a person is being threatening, dangerous, etc) where distancing yourself is the right move. But if someone you know, for example, says they’re queer or like wearing clothes you personally think are kind of out there, instead of automatically trying to distance yourself from them or immediately trying to change them, strive to learn about the situation first. Be open to the possibilities and expand your horizons. For in doing so, there’s a very good chance you’ll be pleasantly surprised, in which case, the lives of everyone involved will likely be improved.
Views and Observations 