I have been thinking about this tweet since the first time I saw it because it resonated with me. (Tweet Link)
Growing up in the summers, I was always told to go outside and do something active: “like a sport”. While I think it’s important that our youth get active, I hated sports. I tried a whole slate of them and couldn’t get my body to be particularly good at anything, nor was I committed to trying extra hard to make anything work. And I’m okay with that. What I’m not okay with is the culture that thinks being fanatical about anything except sports is unacceptable.
You may not have had these experiences, but I remember my peers thinking it weird when I knew all the punk-pop band members’ names. I’ve had conversations in college with friends about how we liked anime in high school but were afraid to talk about it because it was considered “weird”. I’m finding these double standards still relevant in my life now, and yes I’m referencing my current fascination with KPOP.
My sister knows probably twenty names or more from her favorite NFL football team and many others know their team’s players as well. Ask someone who loves football where famous quarterbacks went to college or to name someone who won the Heisman and see how many facts they know. I’ve watched Jeopardy with my dad and can’t tell you how amazed I’ve been at the sports trivia he knows.
And there’s absolutely nothing wrong with that! I love that you love football or baseball or basketball or anything, follow what makes you happy, enjoy it to your heart’s content- just don’t shit on other people’s sans-sports interests. It’s okay to get jazzed about the World Series, but to be excited about the Tony’s is weird? Signed jerseys seem to be a treasure but wearing a signed band shirt causes giggles and whispers? And yes, people cosplay the craziest things, but also people paint their naked bodies in the freezing cold to spell things?
I’ve been made to feel weird about being a fanatic of so many things that have brought me happiness. I’ll love those things regardless, but it’d be nice to not get negative comments about being a fan. I know this post seems aimed straight at sports, but it’s only because it’s the most popular point of reference. Point is: whatever your interests are- don’t make others feel bad about theirs.
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