You are 99.9 percent similar to the person sitting next to you. However, that .1 percent makes all the difference. Everyone on this planet was born unique and we should all express that .1 percent difference loud and proud.

I cannot express how sad it makes me to see someone hiding their true identity because they are scared of what others will think. A topic where I see this often is the subject of being gay or lesbian. For some reason it’s okay to judge people based on their sexuality and not their character. However, I would say to ignore the people who shut you down. If the shoe was on the other foot and being straight was suddenly taboo, the men and women who are straight wouldn’t want to hide. Therefore, people who are gay or lesbian shouldn’t have to hide either. If you are a man and you like men, tell the world. If you are a woman and you like other women don’t be afraid to let people know. Your sexuality is a part of who you are and you have the right to feel comfortable with it.

Another subject that causes other people to hide who they are involves the clothing choices they make. Personally, I can say that I love dressing up for most occasions. Wearing skirts and dresses just makes me happy and I’m proud to express that. However, I’ve gotten looks that are very easily read as, “Is that really appropriate?” Those looks bother me so much. Maybe that’s not the outfit that you would have pulled out of your closet. But just because you wouldn’t wear it, doesn’t mean that the clothing is inappropriate. It could simply mean that your styles are different. If you are comfortable showing off your legs or shoulders you should have the right to do so without getting strange looks from people. As long as you are covering the necessary parts of your body you should be proud to wear whatever you choose. It shouldn’t matter if your skirt is an inch shorter than the girl to your left or right. If they both cover your butt and you are both comfortable, then you should both be able to express your style with pride.

Finally, I want to talk about classifications. In high school it’s very clear that there are cliques. Classify them as you wish. Popular and unpopular, jocks and theater kids, nerds and class clowns, whatever floats your boat. All I want to say is you are allowed to break out of your classification. There are so many people who love multiple activities but are afraid to take up most of them because it’s different than the norm. Why should it be weird for an athlete to participate in the school musical? Why should it be weird to make jokes and get good grades? My answer is simple. It shouldn’t be. Most people don’t pursue their other interests because they are scared of what their friends will think. Honestly, here is the truth. If your friends are truly your friends then they will support your choice to play baseball and sing in the musical. If you love both activities, than participate in both activities.

There are always going to be people in this world who shoot you down. There is absolutely nothing you can do about that. However there are also people out there who will love you for exactly who you are. But they can’t find you if you’re hiding your true identity. In my opinion, beauty is in the eye of the beholder. Find the people who think you are beautiful. Not this part of you or that part of you, but all of you. No one should be afraid to be themselves.