ARE YOU A FREAK?
Sometimes I wonder how people view us and just lately a 6 year old walked up to me and my daughter at the kid’s school and said; “You guys like all the weird stuff aye like bones and flames?”
My little one was wearing her skull and crossbones jacket so that must have triggered it.
And all I could do was be proud she had noticed and say “YES, we do love that kind of thing”
Her immediate response was “weird!!” and obviously the mama bear I am - defending my child - I asked her if she thought it was weird that she loved pink and rainbow colours?
She looked at me like I had just asked her the hardest question in the universe and came out with a shy “no?”
I said to her “No, it’s not weird, it is awesome that you love that and my kid loves that too… just like she likes skulls and flames sometimes… It’s all awesome as long as it makes you happy… right?”
She seemed happy to be let off easily and smiled before running off to question the next adult….lol
See, I grew up in a family full of punk… like REAL punk in the 80s; mohawks, purple hair, black make up….
I got teased SO much because we all
looked so different and even though it bothered me, when I was young it didn’t make me want to change. Then I hit puberty though and all I wanted was to be accepted and loved… I wanted a boyfriend too!!
So one day I got money to buy clothes and I went and bought all the items that were totally ‘IN’ at the time… the right colour jeans, the right shoes, you name it - I got it just so I could fit in.
I can’t really remember how long I kept that up but I think it must have been for at least 6 months, so quite a long time and then - one day - this super popular girl walked up to me and said (literally) “it’s so much more easy to like you with these clothes on… “
Something happened within me… I got SO angry at the idea that my clothes had defined for her if she liked me or not!! I just went back to wear the things I loved… my hair went back to punk and my clothes turned to black…. I think pretty much the next day!!
To this day I remember one thing; it made me happier - I felt more genuine and I felt I was ME, not someone other people wanted me to be.
So what is it that made society decide that black, skulls, flames and all related items are bad or scary? Why is it weird?
Obviously society needs for the majority to fit nicely in that box that they know and trust - as soon as you
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By Carrie Hazzard