I've always hated stereotypes. I find it hard to find anything more degrading than shoving a label on someones forehead and then resigning them to that box for the rest of forever. But what I didn't realize is how how much I've been trying to operate under stereotypes myself.
Until recently, I had a friend who was obsessed with labels. I don't even know if he realized it. I sure didn't. Then one day I realized he only referred to me as "the blonde" "the dumb blonde" and "the country blonde".
And I realized something about stereotypes.
I'd always been looking for a box to fit in to. But my imagination was too big for this and my attitude didn't quite fit in that and my style was just not the right size for those. I was never 'popular' by typical standards. But I had friends in every clique. As a kid, it's hard to see the value in that. You feel like you could belong anywhere but actually belong nowhere at all. But now, looking back, and knowing the kind of person I am, I wonder why I ever wanted to fit into a stereotype at all.
How boring is it to be one thing? To never strive to be more? To never push yourself of test your boundaries? To never leave your comfort zone?
Why would you want to be one thing when you could be twelve? It makes identity complicated, but life is complex. And if life is simple, are you really living it at all?
I would rather have a life full of crazy, uncomfortable, rewarding, exciting, experiences than to say I lived a calm life. Life, humanity itself is infinitely complex. So why would you settle for being anything less than that? We only get one chance at this life, so why not make the most of it and become every inch of who we can be?
I've always wanted to be Cinderella. But now, I want so much more. I still want to be Cinderella, and get a pretty dress, and win over the prince. But I want to fight the dragon in Sleeping Beauty too. And I want to be a warrior, and a fighter, and a peacemaker, and an artist, and a friend, and a mentor. I want to find every instinct in my body and at least attempt to use it.
Yeah I have a southern accent, and yeah I have blonde hair. But I'm smart and I'm not ashamed of it. I love football and superheros and action and war movies. But I also love gushy, romantic movies and fantasy books and glitter.
I don't have to pick any one thing. No one does. Because who would want just one label when you could have a collection of them?
Who would want to be simple enough to describe in one word? I certainly do not.
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