I’m increasingly disturbed by the backlash I can see against “nerds” and people at the bottom of the social hierarchy. A little while ago, before the term “snowflake” was hijacked by right wing nutters, liberals seemed all too quick to stick that label on anyone who felt alienated by culture or society. “You feel different, like you don’t fit in? Well fuck you, you reckon you’re so special, there’s probably just something wrong with you anyway!” I’ve seen this especially directed at women – if you don’t feel comfortable with any aspect of femininity, whether traditional or modern or political, you’re obviously afflicted by internalised misogyny. How dare you not embrace everything women do? How dare you suggest you don’t feel welcomed and accepted by other women? You WILL be assimilated, and then maybe people will like you, freak. 

I’ve spent a lot of my life feeling different to everyone around me, especially when I was younger. I wasn’t severely bullied, but I was definitely picked on and mocked. It did make me angry and upset, and yes, I *enjoy* seeing stories where the underdog, the victim of bullying, the weirdo, gets to “win”. I’m extremely uncomfortable with the notion that maybe we’ve gone too far with ~rewarding~ outcasts, and they should just stay locked in their basements after all, because they all have the potential to flip and go on a shooting spree at some point, right? 

Idk, maybe people aren’t meaning to be putting this message across. But that’s how I’m reading it. If you feel different, stop being weird, then you won’t get victimised anymore! If you’re a straight cis white kid who gets bullied, stop your whining and get over it, it’s not a *real* problem. Grow up. 

The circle is complete. And if you’re outside it, tough luck, loser.