I like this framing of relishing in being illegible for the freedom of it. I find parallels of this in my own experiences. I find this piece quite affirming personally
Yes. the details of it are long and will be too much for this comment section. But even in my culture of origin I feel somewhat of an outsider. Ive also studied in non-English speaking countries despite coming from an anglophone country. So even though culturally I’m a foreigner in those new countries, I’ll also usually have an added layer of exclusion. I’ve relished in it though. With respect to my own culture especially, I’ve relished in not doing what’s expected and carving my own journey.
I am Black, Latinx, Cuban, Muslima, raised in Germany. I am Transcultural! I had to learn what this meant. Positive and shadow aspects of a multi-layered existence. I am grateful for the experience now! Peace!
What a fascinating piece, Yassmin! As a child I wanted to belong to a group but it wasn't meant to be with all that moving around by my parents. I didn't want to live on the edges, but as I grew up I found a sense of freedom being an outsider. Nowadays I find there's quite a good diversity on the margins of the dominant culture, a much more enriching life with humanity and empathy
it sounds like you've been on a journey with this! do you think you still have that sense of yearning in you, to move towards a 'center'...or have you created your own center at the margins?
Not resenting it at all, dear Yassmin. Throughout my life journey, in many a situation I've been feeling exactly as you've described. "Oddly" enough, I have always found myself peacefully inhabiting this state of perpetual outerness. Thanks to this brilliant and loving Substack which you just dropped, I know have the words to describe it and understand myself - a lot revolves around the power of escaping narratives and categories (both ill- and well-intentioned, depending on their origin) which are meant to box us in.
"There is a type of liberation in not being legible. There is a power in it, or at least I have learnt to find one, where those around you don’t understand you or why you make the choices you do. For me, being an outsider grants me the illegibility that I transform into my liberty."
It's fascinating when you write something that you think is an individual experience and then realise so many others might share the same pov... I love it! and yes, you're right - there's a total desire for escape of the narratives, categories...prisons...
Amin to all you wrote and they do truly feel like prisons, even when super well intentioned and meaning no harm. Thanks for channeling again a message that resonates with so many folks in this community 😊
I love this! As a neurodivergent white woman, I get invited into the majority-white spaces but I don’t play the game enough to be able to stay. I don’t want to play the game of the nice white lady either through the way I dress and present myself to my directness, so I’ve been pushed out of nearly every group. I also didn’t want to give up my own identity enough to even want to join most of them! Being on the outside allows me to be curious rather than protective. The judgment and mockery I faced as a kid was tough, but as an adult now the freedom is wonderful.
I do have a sense of yearning to be more 'centred' some days, but it has to do with my new identity as a disabled woman. I think I have created my own place in the margins, a more free position surrounded by great people, where I keep growing and learning about more identities/labels. Life is so rich and diverse, and hearing other voices keeps my soul anchored in humanity and optimism (despite the cruel realities for the majority of people in this planet, I believe we can change things if we keep fighting for a better present and future).
I like this framing of relishing in being illegible for the freedom of it. I find parallels of this in my own experiences. I find this piece quite affirming personally
oh, this makes me really happy Sakinah! Do you think you've always felt similarly?
Yes. the details of it are long and will be too much for this comment section. But even in my culture of origin I feel somewhat of an outsider. Ive also studied in non-English speaking countries despite coming from an anglophone country. So even though culturally I’m a foreigner in those new countries, I’ll also usually have an added layer of exclusion. I’ve relished in it though. With respect to my own culture especially, I’ve relished in not doing what’s expected and carving my own journey.
I am Black, Latinx, Cuban, Muslima, raised in Germany. I am Transcultural! I had to learn what this meant. Positive and shadow aspects of a multi-layered existence. I am grateful for the experience now! Peace!
Mashallah!!! Love the range, what a gift!
Your text is so good Yassmin! I love it! I forgot to say, I am Queer too! One Love!
What a fascinating piece, Yassmin! As a child I wanted to belong to a group but it wasn't meant to be with all that moving around by my parents. I didn't want to live on the edges, but as I grew up I found a sense of freedom being an outsider. Nowadays I find there's quite a good diversity on the margins of the dominant culture, a much more enriching life with humanity and empathy
it sounds like you've been on a journey with this! do you think you still have that sense of yearning in you, to move towards a 'center'...or have you created your own center at the margins?
Not resenting it at all, dear Yassmin. Throughout my life journey, in many a situation I've been feeling exactly as you've described. "Oddly" enough, I have always found myself peacefully inhabiting this state of perpetual outerness. Thanks to this brilliant and loving Substack which you just dropped, I know have the words to describe it and understand myself - a lot revolves around the power of escaping narratives and categories (both ill- and well-intentioned, depending on their origin) which are meant to box us in.
"There is a type of liberation in not being legible. There is a power in it, or at least I have learnt to find one, where those around you don’t understand you or why you make the choices you do. For me, being an outsider grants me the illegibility that I transform into my liberty."
It's fascinating when you write something that you think is an individual experience and then realise so many others might share the same pov... I love it! and yes, you're right - there's a total desire for escape of the narratives, categories...prisons...
Amin to all you wrote and they do truly feel like prisons, even when super well intentioned and meaning no harm. Thanks for channeling again a message that resonates with so many folks in this community 😊
I love this! As a neurodivergent white woman, I get invited into the majority-white spaces but I don’t play the game enough to be able to stay. I don’t want to play the game of the nice white lady either through the way I dress and present myself to my directness, so I’ve been pushed out of nearly every group. I also didn’t want to give up my own identity enough to even want to join most of them! Being on the outside allows me to be curious rather than protective. The judgment and mockery I faced as a kid was tough, but as an adult now the freedom is wonderful.
I do have a sense of yearning to be more 'centred' some days, but it has to do with my new identity as a disabled woman. I think I have created my own place in the margins, a more free position surrounded by great people, where I keep growing and learning about more identities/labels. Life is so rich and diverse, and hearing other voices keeps my soul anchored in humanity and optimism (despite the cruel realities for the majority of people in this planet, I believe we can change things if we keep fighting for a better present and future).