So many times I have heard the same thing 'You'd be sooooo pretty if you toned down your makeup, and took all those piercings out." "Is that real? Does that go ALL the way through? OH MY GOD Why did you do that? Didn't that hurt? Will it go back? You're crazy, that's disgusting, I think I'm gonna be sick" "Why do you have fangs? are those your actual teeth? oh my god do you have them every day?" "It's not Halloween anymore" "It's too early for Halloween" "HAHAHA! WHO LET DRACULA OUT?!" And so on and so forth, you get the jist. Why is it acceptable to say that to me, but no one would make a comment to the girl in the crop top and mini skirt with half her dyed hair shaved? we both look different, we're both out of the ordinary. The difference is that they can identify with her, she likes to show her body off, and she should be allowed to do that and feel proud, and they've all worn something revealing on a night out. She's beautiful and should be able to wear what she wants safely but I should be able to look how I want in peace too. The difference is that they don't feel threatened by her, she is relatable and nice to look at, she's normal to them. When they see me, something primal inside screams 'SCARY', they see my clothing which is usually elaborate and black and that screams 'weird', they see my fangs and that screams 'threat' to them, they see that I wear my makeup differently to them; not any more or less maybe but differently and that tells them that I am ugly. I am ugly and scary, things that are a threat to their equilibrium and they take it as a personal insult that I have chosen to be this way. By 'they' I mean those who choose to say those things to me of course, not everyone on the planet. When people ask me what my job is they can never believe that I am an educator. It's always the same question "But don't the kids get scared of you?!" No. They don't. They think I'm great. So fuck you.
We are not born with prejudice, we are all born into this world without hate. It is our environment and our influences that make us fearful and hateful. I teach people from all backgrounds and of all ages, I am a tutor and am hired by individuals to tutor them. I am sought after because my reputation is good; they know I can do my job. The people who employ me could care less if I had three heads and breathed fire, as long as I was able to work with them to suit their needs and to impart the information they required. They don't see me as ugly, they see me as a bank of information and a friendly smile. My life choices, be it my career or my clothing, do not affect anyone else. I didn't choose to become a mass murderer, I didn't choose to throw my fashion in everyones face, so who I am and what I look like are 100% not anything to do with anyone else. My makeup, my piercings and modifications don't hurt anyone, my parents are supportive and think the same way I do: Your body is a blank canvas, do what makes you happy. In saying all this, how we should all have the right to be safe and feel safe in public without people aggressively making comments or stopping you in the street, everyone is entitled to an opinion, and as long as that opinion is well thought out and they have a good reason for it, they are entitled to have that opinion and voice it if they wish. I have some unpopular opinions and I choose to voice them but in a way that doesn't hurt anyone, I don't think anyone should have to hold back how they feel UNLESS those opinions are blatantly attacking someone for absolutely no reason other than you consider them lesser and therefore think you're entitled to hurt them. You can dislike my hair, you can tell me that, you can dislike my face, and you tell me that if you wish although it'd be a bit unusual, but if you're coming up and just tearing into me about everything and questioning my motives for my entire life, then and only then will I draw a big line and tell you your actions are not right.
Long story short; I look this way, many others look a different way or a similar way, we should all have the right to coexist and be happy with ourselves. That doesn't mean we can't or won't judge, we all do, anyone who claims to be completely without judgement of others is lying and will probably do everything in their power to cover up that blatant lie and usually end up judging others in the process. That is how humans are, society is, but that doesn't mean we must attack one another for things we deem to be abnormal or scary. I'm not ugly, I'm not scary, I'm a human being who happens to look a bit like one of Poe's nightmares, but I chose to look this way and I think I'm beautiful this way, that is all that matters. So basically- have your opinions, but don't use them to damage others.
-Amaris-
