The tendency to divorce oneself from a multifaceted identity in pursuit of homogeneity severely misperceives versatility with hypocrisy. With illusion, people allow their work to cross interdisciplinary lines but fail to allow their personalities to do the same. Labels act as a safe haven of personal verification, where certain beliefs correspond to a certain “ist” (think feminist). People deserve to be dynamic; they deserve to exist inside and outside societal expectations. I am a walking oxymoron, not a hypocrite, for identifying with diverse and “conflicting” ists.
Oxymoron #1: Conservative environmentalist
How can I be a conservative and an environmentalist?
Easy, I just refuse to allow an environmentalist to be chained to one political identity. An environmentalist advocates for the world’s well-being in an inspiring variety of ways that do not all pertain to a liberal agenda. For instance, I love gardening and I want people to have access to affordable, healthy food. That is not a politically decisive desire. I do not want to solely hand out produce, because I think such giving puts a band-aid on a larger socioeconomic problem. Instead, I support non-profit community kitchens that employ and train those looking to develop employable skills while also working for their meal. These people become part of a network of dignity and community service. Some may view this as a conservative desire, but I see my different angles of support complimentary rather than conflictual.
Oxymoron #2: Republican feminist
“You think women should have rights over their body and you vote as a Republican?”
Yes.
This one really blows people’s minds. The beautiful thing about labels is that there is not one type of republican or feminist, as much as society tries so desperately to make it seem. I can support equal pay for equal work; I can support tax exemptions for feminine care products; I can support women-owned businesses, and I can still be a republican because these are issues relevant to a healthy and constitutional society.
Lesson Learned
I love being an oxymoron. It gives me more momentum and knowledge about important issues, and it allows for excellent conflict mitigation and negotiation. One-sided, one-minded will not advance a global community. Overlapping activism stimulates much-needed conversations regarding what direction we want to head in. I, for one, would like to see more people displaying the courage to be diverse in thought and in action.
