By trying to fit people into neat boxes like “the Pretty Girl” or “Jock” we reduce them from complex individuals to a one or two word summary and we pressure them into playing a role – even if it seems a nice one. Kody Keplinger, author of The DUFF (which stands for Designated Ugly Fat Friend), explains why we must stop doing this and just let people be themselves
In many ways, it’s human nature to label things. We compartmentalise things, to put things in nice boxes. Labels keep our closets organised; they tell us what section of a store to shop in. It makes the world easier to understand and navigate. However, this tendency becomes a problem when we start sticking those labels on people.
“Prude”, “the Blind Girl”, “Chatterbox”, “the Nice Girl”… These are just a few of the labels I was given in middle and high school. Now, I know what you’re thinking: not all of those seem so bad. And you’re correct. I am blind, I do talk a lot, and I’d like to think of myself as nice. And, yeah, ok, maybe I was a little bit uptight in high school.
Related: Clare Furniss on sick lit and why labels in literature aren't helpful
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