I am not “Alternative”

Standardization. A term a friend of mine uses to describe what society has done with ways of life and with people. There is a “normal” expected way we are to live and to just be, according to society of course. Anything beyond that is considered different, weird, strange.

Anyone who isn’t straight, isn’t monogamous, anyone who is non-binary or trans, who is a witch, who is into BDSM, anyone who doesn’t fit the beauty standard or fashion standard even… We might be slowly more “accepted” by society, but not as what is normal. Rather as the “alternative”. We have become a new “fad”, the latest trend. It’s “cool” to be queer, to practice witchcraft, to live the BDSM lifestyle. And people stop taking us seriously.

Now, yes. There are people who are completely accepting and respectful, and thank you to all those people! But the rest? They stay in their bubble of standard comfort, what they are given on a silver platter by society as normal and right. They in turn aren’t capable of fully accepting “different” lifestyles or identities, usually commenting that one is “trying to be a special snowflake” or “looking for attention”.

For those who respond in such a manner to me, my identity and my lifestyle, listen up: I am not “alternative”. Who I am and how I live is normal for me. This isn’t an act, this isn’t a joke. Is how you live and who you are a joke? No. Are you who you are and living how you do because you want to be a special snowflake and want everyone noticing you? No, right? My way of being isn’t my attempt to be cool and different, to stand out of a crowd because everyone else is a loser. No. My gender, my witchcraft, my identity, my lifestyle is for me and only me.

I would like to ask for two things from you: Respect and acceptance. That goes for anyone who lives an “alternative” lifestyle, or anyone who has an “alternative” lifestyle. Be respectful to everyone, regardless of how different they may seem. Accept those differences and the people with those differences. We might not be “normal” to you, but we’re “normal” to ourselves.

-JuJu, #mindofjuju