I get called a brat a lot. Like a lot, and it’s not like it's an insult. Just a "Wow, wasn’t expecting that - you’re a brat." So despite the fact that people say it, here’s why I’m not a brat.
I’m not a brat because my parents taught me manners. They showed me how to act polite in society and that accepting anything less than 100 percent courtesy from someone is unnecessary and a little degrading. I’m not a brat because my parents told me to be honest and not to lie. I will tell you the truth no matter what because you are a human being and you deserve the respect of being treated as one.
I’m not a brat because I’ll fight for what I want. Sorry, but rolling over isn’t in my nature. Sure, sometimes I’ll take the high road, but I’ll never just sit there and take something that I don’t deserve. I’m not a brat because my mom and dad taught me that I shouldn’t let people walk all over me. Be strong and stand up for yourself. Fighting and making a stand are different. It takes something to fight back, but it takes twice as much to gather the courage to say that something is wrong.
I’m not a brat because I believe that we all make our own choices and that we need to have responsibility for our actions.
Being demanding and self-sufficient aren’t bad things. There’s nothing wrong with knowing what you want in life and going after it. People, women especially, are made to feel bad for being demanding and in control of their own fate. They let others tell them that the way they are and the way that they were raised is wrong. News flash guys: everyone is different, everyone experiences things differently. So yes, I’m loud, passionate, a little off the wall sometimes, sarcastic and honest no matter what but I'm dedicated to myself and my goals in life.
When we watch movies and TV shows, it’s always about a quiet girl who has little to no voice gaining a voice. What about the girl who already has a voice? She’s portrayed as the enemy, the evil one. The “loud” girl is portrayed as scheming and manipulative. I am not scheming and manipulative. I am a person who has their own thoughts and opinions and isn’t afraid to share them.
One of the consequences of letting this stereotype persist in our society is that we damage the youth. Both “loud” and “quiet” walk around thinking that something is wrong with them; that who they are is wrong. We think that people should act certain ways because of their appearance or their gender, and that’s wrong. By labeling people and deciding which of their features are annoying or worthwhile, we are damaging them.
So no, I’m not a brat. I’m not very quiet and that’s okay. Sometimes I say the wrong thing or something I didn’t mean to say, and that’s okay too. We’re all human and we’re all trying to figure things out.
