A TALE OF...CONFORMITY?

People are so dumb. I swear. Everyone tries to be like everyone else, it is sick . Yet the people that do it the most grow  up and become psychologists claiming "everyone is different." That isn't true. A large majority of people out there desire no individual characteristics about themselves, which makes them act the same. And dress the same. Follow the same trends... listen to the same music because it is popular... and everyone else does. It is just to fit it.
    Personally, I dont fit in anywhere... im WAY over off in some other place all the time with everyone in society it seems, but I like it that way. I just don't care what anyone thinks at all, honestly. I don't care if someone thinks I'm crazy, if they think I'm ugly, dumb, slow, weird, snobby, mean... whatever there is.
     I am what I am, and I'm happy with it. I'm not going to change anything about myself for anyone, if I change, it is for MYSELF.
    Think about it. When you realize you need to go the store, what is the first thing you do before you leave? Look in a mirror! Why? It isn't like you are going to meet the person you marry at a Wal-Mart or grocery store. It isn't like you are ever going to see the people that are shopping there again, and if you did, it doesn't matter.    
    People are so concerned about what others percieve of them. But seriously, when you go to a store, do you look at other people all the tiem passing extreme critical judgement on every person? No. So what makes people think that everyone is going to do the same to them?
    I certainly don't pay attention to people and judge them when I go in public. I don't really pay attention to people much... because I KNOW DEFINETLY people are paying attention to me and judging me because my hair is neon pink or orange and liberty spiked and a girl.
    And you know what I do when people look at me dirty? I smile at them! It throws them off guard, and they think "Wow, maybe people like THAT aren't so bad, it's just when they are on drugs." It puts people a step ahead on tolerance.
    And people always pass dumb judgement on me. I mean, dressing what to a conforming person would be "tacky" or herrendous is just me trying to get strange reactions out of people... and not caring. I dress awful (not matching, mixing patterns, un matching shoes/socks, skirts and pants, etc) just to prove to myself I don't care what other people think!!
    People assume Im a marilyn manson type of person, anyone that dresses different in our society automatically listens to Marilyn Manson. If you have ever dressed differnt you know that. I don't dress remotely gothic, I hardly ever wear black anything! Yet people assume that. And when I say, "No, I don't listen to that, I listen to punk." They think it is Metallica, or Blink 182. NEITHER IS PUNK.
And people think I steal. Whenever anything is missing "I saw Lacy looking at that." or "Lacy likes stuff like that."  Whenever I go to mall stores the sales clerks follow me around. But I don't care, because  I don't steal. The people can watch me change clothes for all I care. I have never stolen anything in my life, and have no desire to either, so I just don't care.
A few months ago, my theatre group did the production of ANNIE ( I HATE THAT PLAY). I was in charge of Costumes and Make-up, and one of the two backstage supervisors (Krystal was too! We have some stories! e-mail me if you'd like some laughs!).  I had to apply stage make-up to small children several days in a row, several times a day, so I would always compliment them so they were comfortble with me. I complimented a girl on her skechers shoes, I told her I liekd the shoelaces or something like that ( I HATE SKECHERS SHOES THEY ARE THE ANTI-CHRISTS OF FOOTWEAR, WITH NIKE BEING LUCIFER AND REEBOK,ADIDAS, AND, THOSE STUPID WANNA BE CONVERSE PLATFORM WHITE SNEAKER THINGS EVERY GIRL WEARS), just so she'd be comfortable with me. She left them in the bathroom when practice was over one night. I left after Krystal and I cleaned up. The girl mentioned to her mom that I said I liked them. You can guess what happened. She accused me of stealing them. They weren't even my size! The 7th grader wore a size 8 in women's, I'm several grades ahead of her and I wear a size 6!!)  They would have been huge on my feet. So that girl's mom told my director, Mrs. Croghan (very nice woman) that I stole them. Of course Mrs. Croghan didn't believe me. Shortly after those accusations, they were found, and Mrs. Croghan chewed her out. It must have been beautiful. When I found out what that women said I cried. Then I stopped and thought "Why? She's just prejudice. It isn't like I did really steal them. Who cares?"
So everytime I saw her at dress rehearsal and shows, I would always talk about how I hate prejudice people and she might "overhear." It was great. I wasn't being mean, I just happened to express myself while she was around. I hope she doesn't discriminate against people anymore.
Another way I  demonstrate I don't care what people think is, well, I don't stick up for myself. I don't give insults back to people. I just say things like "Ok." "Yeah, I know." or "Thanks, I guess." or "No." Insults don't hurt me at all, so I don't have any need to make any comments back. I went bowling a few days ago. I had neon pink hair then. See, we went bowling in some hicktown area cheapo bowling alley because it was cheaper. (we being krystal and i and some other people which i dont remember) Anyway.. when we walked in I heard some guy say "Oh my gosh! Look at her hair."  And I looked at him, smiled, and said " Um, I heard that." Not snotty at all or anything.They left right after. The people didn't even finish their game. I scared them!
It's funny, because the guy could have broke me with his stare probably, he was that much bigger than me.   It's too funny. TOO FUNNY.
Basically I'm trying to say, it doesn't matter what people at Wal-Mart think about you! You will never see them again... and even if they did think you were dumb, how would it affect you? You know?   
I don't care what ANYONE thinks, I mean, I care what my close friends think, but it is limited. The people that know me inside and out, up and down, and uh.. yes. Those people, if they think something is wrong, it probably is. Even if my close friends said something looked stupid, I wouldn't care...even if my boyfriend said I looked stupid, I wouldn't care. If they can't accept me for how I am, oh well.
Im that comfortable with myself. I haven't always been this way, but I am now, and yes.
Recently, my friend's aunt saw a picture of me, and said "Oh! She is so pretty! Why does she dress that way, though? Why is her hair like that?" and my friend said "That's just Lacy. She's a punk." "oh, ok. Why?" "It's her, if you knew her you'd understand."
I am a very honest person, and, natural I guess of a  you could say. I don;t steal, lie, cheat, etc. I dont have any "fronts" I don't fake anything. I know my "limits."
Im not saying I don't stick up for myself,I am always up for a good argument! If I feel like sticking up for myself,I can do it. I don't insult people, I back myself up.
I am not saying Im a very nice person either. Honest people tend to be.. well.. obnoxiously honest, like myself, and observant. TOO observant. I always make fun of stuff, not people, just situations. Everyone is guilty of making fun of people, even I do. But i dont make fun of people for "permanent" reasons, like if they are handicapped or look strange with birth defects or mentally retareded or something. I am guilty of making fun of people for.. well... wearing head to toe tommy hilfigher. Dedicating their life to Tupac Shakur. And when people say dumb stuff about punk music,I dont care, like the preston incident (ill write that editiorial soon.)It is sometimes funny to make people eat their words.
The only time I ever "let it all out" is when I stick up for people (preston incident again)
Anyhow, Umm.. I like to be different, fitting in can be limiting in the sense that you deny yourself how you really feel. Say you really like this... new... umm... Rancid song. But all your friends listen to rap. If you said you liked it, you could lose your popularity. Darn.
    Also I am trying to say, dont discriminate against people against their looks. I may look vicious, slutty/crummy/poor, but I'm an overall nice person! No one is perfect, Yes, I can be mean. (see preston incident). Everyone can. Not all punks are drug addicts/dealers. Not all punks beat people up. See, people that arent punks are like that too. Black, white, orange, whatever. Theres gonna be druggies, violence, accept that and dont blame it all on a subculture. Amen.

-By Lacy the Punk Princess

*For use in helping people be comfortable with themselves and find their identities.

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