Bullied for being different

Sir,

It is the 21st century, but we still tell people how to live their lives. However, it not too late to learn to be tolerant of the differences that exist between us, because whether we like it or not, they will always be there!

It is common for people to make their inflexibility and rigid principles the bases of judgement for those who are different from them. It amazes me that people still think the world revolves around them – they set the standards, and everyone shall follow, and if they are not impressed then they bully and humiliate other people into ‘ shape’.

The level of intolerance we display as a nation in many situations is embarrassing. It is phoney of us to constantly talk about how we gained independence in 1968 and, therefore, cannot be ill- treated in our own country, we dread going into government offices because we are often treated like ‘ trash’ and most emaSwati are unemployed because of nepotism.

Bully

And yet, after all the active talking about being mistreated, we still bully other people merely for being different? I simply cannot fathom how we expect the abuse projected towards us as a nation in all spheres of life can stop if we still find it easy to show that same abuse to fellow brothers and sisters.

If the best we can do is give all members of the community a sense of their self- worth, and be proud of who we are as people, we’ve already won a huge part of the fight against abuse.

Let us collectively fight this. Let it not bother you that someone is wearing a skirt shorter than you’d let your own child wear, do not be troubled by someone wearing a dress that you think is too tight, and so what if a man prefers another man as a sexual partner? We are different like that! Let us gracefully embrace the fact that we cannot demean someone into being what we think is ‘ normal’, because normality varies with one’s perception, and even that varies with people too.

Nomsa