I find that as I wear non-standard clothing in my daily life, and I get some judgementalism as I wear gypsy costumes or jedi-robes around doing my errands, I have people asking me "what are you wearing?" in a derogatory tone of voice.
I explain my personal reasonings, usually spurious, or silly, or whimsical, as if they are perfectly reasonable, at least if I am on speaking terms with the individual in question, and usually I get some "Oh, well, I guess it makes you happy then...." type answers.
Somehow I don't think the scale is the same as what you're talking about here, but I agree with the social commentary about acceptance and ostracization, or why would I bother with the explanations, though? Largely, I don't socialize with these people and don't desire to, so why should I care what they think? and yet I do.
Do what you want and damn the consequences seems fine in principle, and I feel like at times I really should, but is exceedingly difficult. My friends have gotten used to me turning up at house parties in all kinds of anachronistic and contradictory costumes and now say "oh, that's Jenn, she does that" but then, my friends Larp, so they have a wider range of accepted behavior than many, then again, maybe that's why we're friends.
I agree with Vanessa's suggestion. Try it, maybe? I know it helps, as to a lesser extent, I've done it myself. Not on the same scale at all, I know, but maybe a step...
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branchandroot
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Date: 2007-02-11 11:04 pm (UTC)I explain my personal reasonings, usually spurious, or silly, or whimsical, as if they are perfectly reasonable, at least if I am on speaking terms with the individual in question, and usually I get some "Oh, well, I guess it makes you happy then...." type answers.
Somehow I don't think the scale is the same as what you're talking about here, but I agree with the social commentary about acceptance and ostracization, or why would I bother with the explanations, though? Largely, I don't socialize with these people and don't desire to, so why should I care what they think? and yet I do.
Do what you want and damn the consequences seems fine in principle, and I feel like at times I really should, but is exceedingly difficult. My friends have gotten used to me turning up at house parties in all kinds of anachronistic and contradictory costumes and now say "oh, that's Jenn, she does that" but then, my friends Larp, so they have a wider range of accepted behavior than many, then again, maybe that's why we're friends.
I agree with Vanessa's suggestion. Try it, maybe? I know it helps, as to a lesser extent, I've done it myself. Not on the same scale at all, I know, but maybe a step...