Since when did "not normal" become a synonym for bad?

[conuly]

Y'know, people who argue for equal rights for gay people will point out that it's "perfectly normal" to be gay. And it's "perfectly normal" to be a lefty, right? And it's "perfectly normal" to, say, not want kids.

Yeah. Except that when you're in a minority, you're kinda, by definition, not normal. It's not perfectly normal.

And that's okay!

I don't have to be normal. I mean, what would that say about us, any of us, that our big goal in life is to be normal. How boring! I'm NOT NORMAL in many respects - most visibly, I'm a lefty, and I wear glasses. That's not normal. It's a boring way of not being normal, but that's fine - I don't have to go around declaring how "normal" I am to gather together the shreds of my self-worth, or to convince the sillies that I'm not a threat because of my sinister lefty ways.

You're gay? Great. Sure, that's normal for you, but it's not normal for the population that's not gay - and that's good. If you're reading my journal, you're probably my friend, which means you're a cool person who isn't normal. You're really interested in some obscure author nobody's ever heard of but you? *coughs* Okay, that's me - and it's not normal, and that's great! Hilari Bell rocks, even if I'm all alone in saying that.

Stop talking about how normal things are, unless they really *are* normal. There's nothing *wrong* with not being normal, and you already know that (I hope and assume), so why skirt around the issue?

*checks clock*

Yeah, I'm drunk on tiredness. Night all. Djusk' a.

Comments

[pne.livejournal.com]

Then there's also the definition of "normal" that's more like "normative" -- that is, something like "corresponding to a norm, to something considered ideal".

Which is, as I understand it, one reason why some people use NT (neurotypical) rather than "normal", because they consider NT people not to be normative, even if they're typical/common/a majority.