Breaking Cultural "Norms"

In today’s society and culture, how someone looks means almost everything. Based on how you look from the outside, someone can have either a good or bad first impression of you, and no matter how much we try to deny it, everyone makes judgments based on first impressions. We believe that if someone doesn’t dress like us, look like us, or even act like we do, then they are different in a way that shouldn’t be accepted. Unfortunately, this is a terrible and unfortunate way to live, but it is how our society functions.

My entire life, I have tried to blend in and fit into the “norms” of our culture. Based on how I dress, how I act, and whom I hang out with, I would never stick out in a crowd as being unique or different. So this week at work, I decided to break a cultural norm by wearing my uniform inside out. My manager and co-workers thought I was crazy at first, but of course, it’s what I expected. Throughout the day, customers gave me weird looks and mumbled to one another behind my back. At first, it actually made me feel really uncomfortable. There were even moments when customers would question my appearance, some even laughed at me to my face, and I felt like giving up. I was embarrassed and I felt like an outsider among all of these “normal” individuals.

However, what I did not realize was that these feelings I had as people questioned my outward appearance reiterated the entire point of this assignment. There is nothing wrong with wearing your clothes inside out, however, our society and culture has defined it as odd and not acceptable. So as I went about my daily work tasks, people stared and whispered, but for what reason?

Everyday, people of different races, individuals with physical disabilities, and even ones who choose to be unique, face these situations on a regular basis. However, the difference between them and me: at the end of the day, I was able to change my clothes and escape those judgmental glances. They cannot.

This experience helped me to realize that throughout my career as an educator, I am going to have students from all different backgrounds and races, and even students with disabilities. However, despite everyone’s difference, we are all equal as humans. As an educator, it will be my responsibility to give equality to all of my students. Because, outside of the walls of my classroom, society will remain the same, and students will be judged for who they are. However, in my classroom, I will encourage my students to treat each other as they deserve.