Okay, I hear you. So I don’t think you have any reason to be afraid of me– you can’t really control how you feel, but you can control how you think, so I’m going to try to reason with you point by point and let you know why I don’t think you should be afraid of me. All that I ask is that you read this with an open mind.
- I don’t dye my hair or stretch my ears as some sort of exercise of non-conformity– I just like the way it looks. It isn’t even really an act of non-conformity because the society, that I live in permits that type of self-expression– it’s allowed. I’m not breaking the law or anything.
- I really don’t know what to make of you suggesting that who I am doesn’t exist, or that I am something that I am not supposed to be. I don’t particularly believe in any sort of creator so I don’t know who exactly would be the authority on what I’m “supposed to be,” but I really don’t think that you’re the authority on who I should or shouldn’t be, because we’ve never met. Also, you claim that what I am doesn’t exist, but I really think you should tell that to all of the terrifying, like-minded people in my inbox that are asking me if it’s okay to express themselves the way that they want to. They’re afraid to act on their feelings, or in other words: they’re afraid to be themselves. I personally don’t think that there’s anything scary about them.
- Self-importance is kind of tough for any individual to avoid, because we can only really experience life in our own shoes. We have to prioritize ourselves to some extent or else we won’t take care of ourselves– which is exactly what I’m trying to do. So yeah, I guess I do think I’m kind of important… at least important enough to try and give myself as good of a life as I can, but I don’t really think that’s abnormal. I like to be referred to a specific way, because that’s what’s most comfortable for me. You wouldn’t want someone to call you the wrong name; I don’t want someone to refer to me using the wrong pronouns (Quick sidenote: when referring to a shadowy figure whose identity is concealed by a cloak and a mask you would describe their actions by saying something like “they reached for the doorknob,” because their gender is indeterminate; therefore, singular they/them pronouns exist).
Look, the main thing to focus on is that I really don’t mean you any harm– I truly don’t! I hope that you can go on to live a happy life. I just couldn’t leave this, because historically, nothing good ever comes from this kind of fear.