Today's subject is probably the most serious I've ever discussed on this blog, so please bare with me, for this is a subject that you should probably be interested in if you are reading this blog...
It's probably going to get very grim as well.
In our society everybody is assigned a stereo type, and then discriminated against if they don't fall under the same banner as the majority.
If you're clever you're a geek. If you like Star Wars or Lord of the Ring's you're a nerd.
You're gay, a bitch, slutty, fat, emo, goth, whore, bisexual, princess, sad, bookworm, freak, retarded, weird, creepy, anorexic, virgin, rude, stoner, player, skank, hippy, pikey, social outcast, loner, loser... you... different... dead.
We can't choose our personalities, they come to us, and for that we're the subject of prejudice. The shyest girl ever will be labeled a bitch because she doesn't like talking to people. A girl who goes through lots of boyfriends for perfectly plausible reasons will be called a whore, a slut, and a skank because she's just awkward. The cleverest guy you know will get ignored and bullied because he's good with computers. And we will all be told we're wrong, critisised, ignored, beaten up, bullied and left for dead because we are original, free thinking people. There's no escaping it.
Of course none of us are free from creating stereo types, I'm sure not all chav's are the kind that will beat you up at the drop of a hat, yet because a lot of them would, aspersions are cast on them as a collective.
What's most sad about the condition of our society is that things get taken too far.
In 2007 in Lancashire, Sophie Lancaster and her longterm boyfriend Robert Maltby were walking home through their local park just after midnight when they came across a group of 15 to 17 year olds who were obviously drunk, and still drinking.
According to police reports they struck up conversation with the boys and were peacefully talking when one of the boys said 'hey, lets bang him' and proceeded to beat Maltby to a pulp. He was floored and then continually kicked for no reason what so ever whilst Lancaster begged for them to stop.
She then ran forward to defend her boyfriend, and this resulted in them kicking her to the ground and stamping on her head continuously.
The "lads" then walked off bragging about having "just beaten up a couple of moshers". The attack was witnessed by a 14 year old girl who called the police to report the incident. her distressed phone call was played as evidence in the court hearing, and was met with sniggers from one of the defendants and his mother.
When Sophie and Robert were found by the paramedics they were so badly injured the paramedics couldn't tell if they were male or female. Both in comas they were taken to hospital and put instantly on life support.
Sophie remained in a coma for 13 days. She never woke up.
Robert on the other hand did survive, but explained later that he wished she'd just "legged it".
The two boys accused of the murder were 15 and 16, and had been taking drugs and binge drinking from a young age, all were, what we here in Britain would call chavs.
And the reason that this couple were so severely beaten? Simply because they were goths.
I have friends online who have been bullied for years for liking anime, World of Warcraft or being bi. There are countless cosplayers on youtube who have mentioned being beaten up and ignored whilst in high school for enjoying reading, cosplaying and video games.
It's gotten to such a stage that I wonder to myself 'am I brave enough to wear lolita?'.... 'am I brave enough to take public transport whilst cosplaying?' Yes, I am... But I will do neither of these things alone, and even when I go out on my own and I'm just wearing jeans and a t-shirt I get odd glances and can't help feeling different for wearing black skinnies and converse instead of track suit bottoms and ugly trainers. I'm constantly thinking of how to take someone down, which pressure point to hit, where I should punch to do the most damage. These thoughts shouldn't have to roll through my head every five seconds when I go out to buy milk.
Prejudice, I'm sure has been with us since the human race began, we are never without it, and in it's most obvious forms, sexism, racism and the discrimination against gays, bisexuals and transgender people, it is fought against. But not nearly enough.
Yet even those that stand up for these people are now in danger, even if they're just told to shut up, or to stop defending the "fag" as these people are often called it is still discrimination.
It's sick that no one is allowed an opinion.
My friend and me were talking yesterday about the girls in her school.The majority are black, and yes, white people have wronged black people for hundreds upon hundreds of years, but they seem to feel that this gives them an excuse to be incredibly racist towards white people. Making comments that nobody would allow if they were reversed, but even the teachers in her school take their side and nothing is done.
A debate was had in her history class about stereotypes, and one girl started explaining how much she hated Polish people. Simply because of a stereotype that apparently they are all rude. Unfounded and unfair comments like these thrive in the 21st century.... and we say we're above these things. If so, WHY do so many of us continue in this way?!
Lolita is a fashion that sticks out from the crowd, it is obvious, and something that is easy to make fun of. It will easily get those that wear it into sticky situations, but that is why those that wear it are so excellent and brave. Along with those that openly express themselves whether it be with their sexuality, their love of books, anime, manga, cosplaying, gaming, fashion. their musical tastes or their religion.
Fighting for what you believe in is the first step. And you should never, EVER stop being yourself because of other people. That includes your parents, friends or partners.
I'm lucky to have avoided these kinds of prejudices', it certainly helps that I'm home educated. And that a lot of my friends have known me for a very, very long time. And that most of them are, or have been into the same things as me. Yet others I know are not so lucky.
Obviously none of those uneducated idiots that bully and ridicule will be reading this, but this wasn't written for them. This was written to raise awareness that our world is NOT as mature as it claims to be, and should be. And for that, those of us who are different are paying the price... often with our lives...
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Chiru
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