The consequence of “coming out” culture

Labels can be non-flexible. Colors are imaginary and subjective interpretations, yet blue in all shades is always blue. Thanks to survival instincts, we have adopted adjectives as safety signals in communication. “Bear is deadly.” “Berry is tasty.” When you shop for eggs in America, etched on the carton you’ll read “PERISHABLE: MUST BE REFRIGERATED.” Anything that has this label must be refrigerated with an expiration date and therefore is perishable. It is misremembered that things like sexuality and diet aren’t always so binary.

When we continue to add labels to ways of being, we are eliminating the unique element of authenticity, freedom of choice. If a minority group’s label differs from a general population, then they’re simultaneously labeled as different. If you claim to be one thing, there is no sexuality or vegan police patrolling for mislabeling. If you claim to be one thing, there is no sexuality or vegan police patrolling for mislabeling or, worse, cheating. If we want to normalize lifestyles of flexibility of choice, we need to stop promoting only our label differences, but commonality of authenticity: we are unique, we hold the power to change, and we can love for any and no reason at all.

National Coming Out Day – which awkwardly aligns with too many other holidays and now Indigenous People’s Day (the rightful heir of October 11 because Columbus was a vicious…