“Oh, you’re a conservative? You must think that way only because your parents are conservative.”
I cannot tell you how many times these words have been spoken to me with a laugh and an eye roll. And it’s not just by one age group; professors, peers, family friends, all have murmured these words in some fashion to me at one point or another.
People saying this too doesn’t really bother me because it isn’t true. My parents happen to be life-long Democrats and liberals. While I identify as an Independent, my values do tend to lean more conservative. This is because I am my own person, and I think for myself.
And that is what really gets me. Being a conservative Millennial, it is assumed that I can’t think for myself. But, surprise, I’m my own person with my own thoughts and values. Like most well-educated people, I do my own research and develop my own opinions on issues. My opinions happen to be opposite of my parents, and that’s okay. This is not to say there aren’t people who blindly agree with their parents ideas, but it occurs in both parties. But, please don’t assume that every person that doesn’t agree with you hasn’t developed their own opinions independently from their family.
My opinions and values also happen to be opposite of many of my peers, which is also okay. During the recent election, I was assumed to be voting Democrat because of my age and, frankly, because I am a woman and “why wouldn’t you vote for a woman since you are a woman?”. Then, when people would ask my opinion on the election, they would get offended and I would be called sexist all because I wasn’t voting for the woman candidate. In this past election, I would’ve voted Republican no matter who the candidate, male or female. My vote was not based on sex, therefore it was not sexist. To be blunt, it is more sexist for you to assume who I’m voting for based on my gender. Again, I am my own person with my own values.
There is a huge hypocrisy in our society today: You are told to think for yourself, but the second your opinion is different, you’re attacked. I will never apologize for having my own opinion. If you are “offended” by my opinions, then you have your own issues you need to sort out. Not everyone is always going to agree to your way of thinking, and you need to get used to that. You’re allowed to have a different opinion than me, I have no issue with that. I am fine having a conversation those whose opinions differ from mine, as long as it is able to remain a civil conversation and not an aggressive debate. I am always willing to share my values, and I will never try to change your opinions to agree with mine. But please, stop trying to do that to me. I think for myself, and you being angry that I don’t agree with you will never change me. If you are going to be offended by my opinions, do me a favor a stop asking me.
