“The only normal people are the ones you don’t know very well.”
–Alfred Adler
I got an email recently from a relative who discovered my website. She said that I should stop thinking of and referring to myself as weird or crazy. It was followed by a conversation with her in which she said I should not call myself queer. Because I am normal, and I can be happy.
Let’s get some things straight. I’m not. Straight, that is. And saying I’m crazy is just a way that I deal with my severe mental illness with humor. In no world would I ever be considered normal, and I am ok with that. That doesn’t mean I cannot be happy.
I know there is some controversy over using the word “queer” because of its roots as a slur. But it has been reclaimed by much of this generation, and I believe I should be allowed to use the words I want to describe myself. Sure, straight people may not want to use the word “queer,” in order to be more sensitive. But if anyone in the LGBTQ+ community wants to use it, they should be allowed. Honestly, it is just easier to say than the alphabet soup version.
If the person who told me to just call myself normal is reading this, no offense. I know you mean well and I want you to know that I am happy, even if I don’t fit society’s definition of normal.
Post 46 in Socially Unacceptable: The Daily Life of a Queer Schizophrenic Wreck (2022)
This is an autobiographical series about my life, something I have wanted to do for a long time. I intend to add new content daily.
For the whole series, follow this link.
The Queer Schizophrenic 