For anyone who has ever felt a little bit different

For anyone who has ever felt a little bit different–

You don’t think of yourself as different because you’re you. You may be a little taller or shorter or fatter or thinner. Your skin may be of a different colour. Or maybe it’s your hair. Maybe it’s having single eyelids or liking what everyone doesn’t like, like blue cheese. Maybe it’s because you’re a girl and you like trucks, which is considered to be a “boy’s toy” or maybe you’re a boy and you like playing with make-up sets, which are considered to be “for girls”. Maybe you enjoy the fact that you’re different. And that’s OK. Because that makes you, you.

Warning: The next part of the blog post depicts some violent acts. Please exercise discretion.

But people start to notice. They point it out at first, seemingly innocently, that you are fatter, shorter, darker skinned, or like the “wrong things.” Spoiler alert — there is no such thing as the “wrong thing”. But they point it out. At first, it seems harmless. You don’t like it because they have pointed it out, but that’s all there is to it, right?

No. The teasing starts. The taunting starts. They call you derogatory names, and these names seep into your brain like how poison seems into your body. Soon, you feel like your veins carry the insults — about your skin colour, the shape of your eyes, or maybe you like “boys’ toys” or “girls’ toys” or maybe liking people of the same gender.

The attacks start. Some of them are physical. There are punches, kicks and bruises. You are punished for liking what you like, for being who you are. Then, the bullies find you in the toilet or some dark corner where no one goes, because that’s where you go to hide. They are merciless and they do unspeakable things to you. They insult you and lie that they say they didn’t. They harass you online by posting embarrassing pictures. They do everything they can to make your life a living hell.

It is.

You cannot run. No one does anything or says anything. You are in the dark, doing those unspeakable deeds to yourself. You end up calling yourself those names and start believing what they think of you. It seems like there’s no way out. No one notices. No one does anything. All of the name calling and the torture is all your fault because you were made to think so.

You feel like you don’t belong.

But the fact is, you do. All the things that make you different — your hair, your eyes, the colour of your skin and what you like — that is what makes you, you. There is no one else who will see things exactly the way you do. You’re here for a reason. You will be needed, you will be wanted, you will be loved. You are important. You deserve kindness and support.

One day, in the near future, people will want to hear what you have to give to the world. They will want to see what you will create, invent, or find. They will want to hear your solutions to the world’s ever-present problems. More importantly, they will love you for who you are. For being you.

The problem is that the insults, the physical blows, and what has happened in the dark corners, are hard to erase. It will take time, love and support. But there will be people who will be there for you. These are the people who you will put the knife, the pills, or the noose down for. They will be there, even if the poison in your mind tells you that it isn’t true. You have to fight. For at least one more day.

And if you see someone who feels that way, believe in them enough so that they can fight. Help them see that there is light and love in them. That they will be loved because they are different. That they are who they are. And they are enough.

Featured image by Tony Webster