Dare to Be Different

I recently went to a Lady Gaga concert in downtown LA. It was my first time going to a concert by myself. Also my first time riding the metro (LA's version of the subway) by myself. That was an accomplishment for me. In the past, if I couldn't find someone who wanted to go to a concert with me, I wouldn't go. And I've never been into public transportation (I mean I have a car). But I decided I didn't want to deal with finding or paying $15 for parking, so my next choice was the Metro. It was actually a pretty decent experience. It doubled the amount of time it would have taken me to get there, but for $5 round trip, you can't beat it. I also met some savory characters who spiced up my evening. A different crowd than what I'm used to for sure. But they were helpful and I survived.

On to the concert: Let's just say pretty much all of West Hollywood showed up to the event. I'm talking drag queens, flaming gays, and everything in between. Half the fun was the people watching, I swear. I sat between two flaming gay Mexican dudes. I did feel a little out of place, but quickly let loose and allowed myself to have a great time. I sang along and danced to the music and really enjoyed myself, in spite of coming alone. Lady Gaga's message is one of self-acceptance and not caring what others think about you. Which is why the gay community has gravitated towards her. It's why she dresses so over-the-top and might do or say things out of the norm. She's trying to get a message across, which is stop judging people for being different. Accept yourself for who you are. And let other people do and say and wear what they want. It's ok to be different. In fact, our differences should be celebrated. It's what makes the world unique and interesting. I really do love her music, but I also love her message. Because I can relate.

My whole life I've always been different. I was the shy, quiet kid with bright red hair. It was hard for me to make friends. And I spent so many years feeling insecure and wishing I looked like everyone else because people would constantly comment on my hair. I hated all the attention and just wanted to blend in. I finally reached a point in high school or college when I began to accept myself. I started to love my hair and realized how lucky I was to be so unique. Girls were jealous of my hair and I realized how beautiful it really is. I started to like the fact that I was the only one in the room with red hair and I felt special.

Fast forward a few years to moving to California. For the first time in my life, I am different in another way: I am Mormon and don't drink. It had never been an issue in Utah, as I was surrounded by others who shared my beliefs. Now that I'm a minority it's tempting to deny who I am and just be like everyone else. Like last week, when I met up with a friend from a play I was in for her birthday brunch. She had invited a few of her girlfriends as well, and they all ordered wine and mixed drinks. They saw I wasn't drinking and asked why. I explained my religion and personal reasons as to why I don't drink. They were respectful, but I still felt weird and like the odd one out. Because, again, it's hard to be different. But I know if I gave in and decided to drink at the brunch just to fit in, I would regret it later. It's just not who I am. And at the end of the day, I'd rather stay true to myself than fit in.

I guess what I'm trying to say is it takes courage to be different. I could have dyed my hair by now, or ordered a fancy cocktail to blend in with the crowd. But I didn't. Lady Gaga has the courage to wear bizarre outfits and take criticism for it. And the gay community has the courage to be openly gay. So in a weird way, we're all connected. Some have become proud of their struggle and differences. I think that's the next step for me. I hope to be proud of being different someday soon.

Everyone is weird. And we spend so much time and energy trying to be normal. But what is "normal?" Does it even exist? We just have to be ourselves and accept it. There is no changing. So let your freak flag fly and don't care what anybody else thinks. Life's too short not to be happy!