Stand your ground
Many people are “speaking their truths” these days. There are people who are bending over backward to try to convince others that their truth is the truest truth.
Sometimes, though, this convincing turns into coercion, in-your-face propaganda, and harmful threats toward those who refuse to see the world in a very specific light.
On the other hand, there are those who boldly declare their values and opinions in a way that says, “This is who I am. This is what I will and will not do. This is the line I will not cross.”
It's strong and sure, but it leaves other people free to make their own decisions about where their lines are.
This is alignment — when you know who you are and you live it out. You don't reach outside of yourself for validation, you're not threatened by the opinions of others, and you don't latch onto other people and try to drag them into your worldview. You simply stand firm where you are.
There's someone in Michigan whom I think would agree with me: Christine Geiger, owner of Studio 8 Hair Lab in Traverse City. Ms. Geiger has made bold, public statements about the kind of environment she wants to create in her place of business — specifically, that she will not accept customers who align with sexually deviant ideologies.
What I like most about this story is an exchange Ms. Geiger had on social media amid the backlash she received. First, Ms. Geiger stated,
Since I am not willing to play the pronoun game or cater to requests outside of what I perceive as normal this probably isn’t the best option for that type of client…There are plenty of salons/stylists willing to cater to what I will not.
Another local salon owner then contributed to the conversation, saying he is happy to accept the kind of business Ms. Geiger is rejecting — people who request to be called by abnormal pronouns or claim to be anything other than a man or woman — claiming his “salon chair is a safe space for all.”
Ms. Geiger responded, “Thank you. There's a right place for everyone.”
Essentially, what Ms. Geiger does here is say, “This is who I am and what I offer. If you don't like it, that's okay, you can go elsewhere.” She's not out to make everyone think like she does. Instead, she recognizes that that isn't and won't be the case, and is okay with it. Just don't bring it through her door. She holds her line.
This viewpoint is the exact opposite of that of the “woke” movement, which gets up in your face and whines, “Here I am. You have to accept me and the way I see things and welcome me with open arms, and if you don't, you're a horrible excuse for a human being and I'm going to ruin your life. Accept me!! Celebrate me!! NOW!!!”
It's so much more powerful to just hold your own line and realize you have no control over what other people do or think. There's a deep happiness and peace that comes with making a stand for your convictions while at the same time releasing the need for others to accept them.
That's really speaking your truth.
