Redefining ‘Weird’: A Personal and Political Perspective
Don’t lump us weirdos in with Trump, please.
When I first heard about Democrats calling Republicans “weird” as a political strategy, I had a visceral reaction. For most of my life, I’ve worn the label of “weird” as a badge of honor. As an only child, a reader, and a quiet girl, I grew up feeling like an outsider. As an adult, “Quirky” became my armor.
I’m weird. So what? I like being different!
So, when this new political tactic emerged, I felt conflicted. On one hand, it was amusing to see the tables turned on a party that often paints itself as the bastion of normalcy. On the other hand, I didn’t want to identify with the Republican party any more than they wanted to identify with me — a childless woman who loves cats (despite having dogs.)
For 35 years, I had tried to fit into society’s narrow definition of “normal.” I met a boy, got married, and proceeded to live happily ever after. We had a garden, kept chickens in the backyard, I baked, cooked, and tried my best to keep a clean house.
It was like Trad-Wife lite, prior to the rise of social media, when Facebook was for college students. And I had a job.
Turns out, suppressing your inner self is exhausting. By the time I hit my late 30s, I…
