I identify as weird and the recent political trend makes me uncomfortable

There's good weird and bad weird.

You know which one you are.

And I'm gonna say good weird.

If you identify as weird, that’s good weird.

Unfortunately, the sociopaths who are being called weird are butthurt about it, and the people who might vote for them are dissuaded when they hear these people are weird. It’s bizarre that pointing out they’re criminals, christofascists, and rapists doesn’t affect them as much.

I have identified as weird since fifth grade, and it would be nice if something other than name calling—especially this one—was working. But if this takes power from the most vile, I feel like I should let it slide.
- It’s bizarre that...
  
  It's perfectly in line with their beliefs to be unconcerned with those things. Conformity is their number one concern, so you can see how being called weird is a bigger deal.

A comment I saw recently said if someone is called weird and they agree with you, they are the good weird, but if you call them weird and they get defensive/aggressive they are the bad weird. You are clearly the good kind of weird, and I think everyone else will recognize that if you call yourself weird.

I've had this handle since '94, and I am not letting any of this bother me.

Others have said it better than I can, but how you see yourself as weird, and why it bothers the politicians it does, are not the same thing.

They live in a different world where conformity is king and being different is scorned.

Don't let it ruffle you, none of this has anything at all to do with you, how you live your life, or how you perceive yourself.

You know, you're right. I'm weird. I love being weird. I associate with weird people, generally those who would also self-identify as weird.

It's a fluid word that can be used in a lot of weird ways.

But it has never bothered me that it's used in this context personally. I understand it's directed at people who are just not right, and in other times that could've included some of us.

It's of course meant in the context of "You are acting unacceptably and we can't be quiet about it anymore."

And the meme came from Gov. Walz, who carves butter. That's weird! In a strange and adorable Midwestern way.

There's good weird and bad weird. They're bad weird. Which are you?

They're good weird because they openly embrace being weird. It's the denial that gets weird weird.
I'm my weird.
- Hell yeah

I just feel it's weird how many people suddenly have an issue with the word "weird" now that someone used it against a Republican once. Oh, the humanity, for such a word to be (very accurately) applied, oh, the horror.

Could be people who got mocked for being weird growing up, owning the term and letting go of their masking of (quite common) neurodiversity and now feeling threatened by people who start to equal weird with hateful or bigoted.

In a world where weird equals horrible, how does that colour those that call themselves weird?
- Yeah, and none of that is new in any kind of sense, but suddenly now it's an issue with this specific word.

I feel like “weird” misses the mark. It’s quite hurtful to people who are outside the norm and proud of it.

“Creepy” is a way better description of those guys.

It is amazing that weird works better than something more accurate like creepy.
- Honestly? Some of those SoBs are ontologically evil but you call them that and they'll laugh.
  
  One of very few bits of rhetoric that actually phases them is the claim that everyone isn't, at least secretly, just as evil as they are. That there's something abnormal about how hateful they are, or in other words that they are weird in being so detestable.
- Creepy is almost too specific. Too harsh. It's too "out of line". People are surprisingly sensitive to that kind of thing.
  
  But "weird"... Weird is fuzzy enough to get away with. It's non-specific. It's the sideways head-nod or glance to "creepy's" direct finger point. People know you mean they give you the "ick" when you say it, because it comes with the body language that communicates that, vs that which communicates "quirky".
  
  "Weird and unsettling" is an accurate phrase to describe these people, and I don't see much overlap with how people talk about me at all. And they've been calling me weird for 35 years or more now.
The trouble with "creepy" is that it's emotive. Although it's absolutely a correct word to use, it can easily be dismissed as an insult.

"Weird" is less of an insult, and can be taken objectively. I've got OCD, I know I'm weird - I'd be lying if I pretended otherwise.

But the thing is, Trump and Co don't just want to be seen as "normal", they want to be seen as the best at "normal".

This is why "weird" works. It's possible to argue that Trump being creepy is just someone else's opinion, but it's very hard to deny that he doesn't do and say some weird things.

This is sticking because, even with the ludicrous amounts of good-faith his supporters have for him, it's undeniably true, and possibly taps into any underlying misgivings they may have.
I assumed "weird" was used intentionally as an understatement for comedic effect.

You're weird in a different way. Unless you also normalize bigotry and hate... Which is weirder.

Just another bump for good weird.

My most prominent vest patch just says 'stay weird'. Because good weird is good!

I was literally just thinking about this, like a few minutes before seeing this post. It sounds like for some reason this political usage of "weird" is working, and annoying me is a small price to pay to stop Trump. But it does bug me, mostly because anything the left starts using, the right will eventually appropriate, and then it will spread and get widespread use outside of politics. I can see it becoming like "snowflake", which used to mean "special and unique", and then started being used in political discourse to mean "oversensitive", and is now being used everywhere. I wouldn't be surprised if this trend means that a couple of years from now, "weird" is a very popular go-to insult even outside of politics, which will habituate people to associating weirdness with negativity (not that people need any incentive to do that).

Obviously it's a better outcome than a lot of other things that can result from politics, but it's irksome now and I can imagine the world being mildly more uncomfortable for everyone who doesn't conform to mainstream social standards in a couple of years than it is now.

Tl;Dr - sounds like you're thinking exactly what I was thinking, down to the mild-to-moderate level of discomfort and the acknowledgement that it might be necessary

Thank you for putting this into words. I got called weird all the time as a kid, made the choice to take it as a compliment. It getting used right now the way it is to offend bad people doesn't bother me, but I am worried about the knock on effects of weird being more heavily perceived as negative over time.

I just want to say that I really appreciate your post. I’ve wondered about this and the comments have been enlightening.

I like to think that being called weird isn't an insult. But it is being taken as an insult when used on people who call others weird as an insult themselves.

In my opinion, "internal weird" is different from "external weird".

MAGA people don't think differently, they aren't anti-conformity, they're just... weird.

They want to tell you who you are and how you're allowed to live your life, they hang out with pedophiles, they concern themselves only with themselves 100% of the time, they are obsessed with genitals, they take pride in annoying others, they make politicians their whole identity, they are always angry, etc... It's more creepy than weird. But "weird" is just a shorthand.

We’re in good company identifying as something that’s been used as a slur, like “gay” and “queer” have. We can still own it.

Anyone accepting of diversity won’t hold it against anyone who has considered themselves (good) weird.

Those who “weird” is being used against probably would have used the word in a derogatory way against us anyway. I don’t think the current meme will make bigots any worse.

Honestly, I find it amusing. They take weird as an insult because they'd use it as one meanwhile there's a notable number of people who self-identify as weird.

I suppose logically I would though I don't usually use the exact term. More often I'll state 'Normalcy is overrated.' Whomever I'm talking to can think whichever term about me. If they vocalize it and it's distasteful to me I might redirect to 'weird' but I generally don't feel the need to give them a term... which I guess is weird in it's own right considering most people would give their preferred term xD

Weird in modern parlance by the laity is an expression of uncanny oddness, as per The Weird Sisters ( or Wyrd Sisters ) in the play MacBeth. It's a common reaction to esoterica which is information or knowledge that sounds odd and dangerous without understanding of context. There's intersection with secret as in secret societies like the Freemasons which are actually esoteric societies in that they dabble in esoterica (in the case of Masons, pro-tips on how to build structures so they stay up for a long while).

In context of the current election seasoin Kat Abu explains it really well ( on YouTube ), weird is not the point, and some adjectives may serve better. The point is some of the policies and statements of Trump, of Vance, of Project 2025 (and the other usual suspects, e.g. The Republican Party, The Heritage Foundation, The Federalist Society, etc.) seem odd to those of us who want to live in a functional democratic society and want a public serving government, and those policies / statements require more context than we're being given.

Why does Trump need dictatorial powers on day one?
Why does Trump say Christians won't have to vote again (or accuse them of not voting much when they do)?
Why does Vance have contempt for childless women who like cats?
Why do they (Trump / Vance / P2025) keep talking about immigration invasions and crime waves even when crime is low compared to our history, and migrant populations have significantly lower crime rates than the general population? Also it's generally a right and proper thing to provide sanctuary to refugees from abroad?
Why do GOP officials begrudge children school lunches, or library access (even to adult matters, if they're interested)
Why do they want to defund Social Security
Why do they encourage police brutality on protestors?
Why do they freak out over trans folk?

The list goes on and on, and normal Americans appear to believe it's right and proper to feed our kids, to have social safety nets, to have free and open abortion access, for education to be affordable, for workers to be able to balance work with parenting, recreation, civics and getting the laundry done. And yet, the Republican party (including Trump, Vance, etc.) seem to think the opposite is true.

In fact, a lot of them sound like an NSDAP party member trying to explain why mass executions are a pretty good idea.

So either they need to explain themselves, or we get to tag their positions as unsuitable for elected offices in the United States, especially the presidency. Weird is an easy word for it, but there are dozens of others, including just bollocks.

Try to remember, words are just that, words. Intent is what makes them good or bad.

My opinion:

Humanity doesn't evolve sociologically or technologically with out weird. If the world was all middle of the road beige "yes" men and women to what those in power say is correct way to live, laugh and love then the interesting things in this world die.

"Weird" people are the ones that challenge this middle of the road thinking. They are the brave ones. They are the ones that say fuck it to this middle of the road life and just do their thing. I envy the Weird, they have to fight against the easier/conformist way of living to be themselves, but by doing so they are happier and in a small way they make the world a better more interesting place.

In this context I talk of weird as in good weird, trump et. al. are not weird by my definition they are instead the ones fighting against the weird because to them it's scary, different and it challenges their hold on reality and what is "right."

whenever i see a top comment labeled these bad people as weird, i feel like i too would not be accepted

Not sure if this helps

If you were the presidential candidate and would spout this type of complete nonsense, things that are just not true, obviously not true, are just mean and cruel and bullying. And at the same time would pretend that you are normal, as in you represent the pinnacle of the norm and the others are the weird ones - yeah then you would not be accepted either.

Trump had this weird immunity shield for 8 years now and finally the frog is cooked enough that his outrageous behavior has become so unhinged and untethered from reality and so out of the norm that it's just - weird.

We should be a society that grows more and more tolerant of how different we are and treat people equally with respect. The same is not true for unacceptable behavior.

But the fascists believe the opposite - they believe in inequality based on some made up identity and hate towards whoever is different. That is why it works as an insult at all. It robs them of their power. And the more they spin out of control the funnier it is. The joke is on them not on you.

Hello im a middle aged auadhdist. Im weird/ curious/ strange/ unusual. I have self identified as these terms for decades.

Calling these conservatives weird is ok with me because they're obsessed with homogeneity. They get flustered when they repeat strong- man phrases and people call them out of it. It causes them self- reflect, and to be aware of their echo chamber.

It's about context, which can be challenging to spot to be sure. But in the context of fascists erasing the identity of a nation as a melting pot that accepts the tired huddled masses it's important to push the narrative that weird isn't bad. Because fascists want to erase anything they think is weird.

Calling them weird unnerves them because they think they are superior for some innate unearned reason.

Calling a self identified weirdo weird warns the weirdo they are in the presence of someone who wants to oppress the weird out.

I'm fine with that. They've called us weird forever because they think it should bother us. IMO it doesn't, but saying they're weird bothers them even more.

Weird already has a definition. You can decide if you want to be associated with it. But you can't decide you want it to mean a certain thing you like it to be and then get mad that the public at large use it in the defined sense. This works for everything in life so keep that in mind as you navigate society.

Language and definition are a part of culture and subject to change though. (TIL: a word for a definition that is no Longer in use is archaic)

There is also my own interpretation of information.

I do wanna make a quick note that i am very aware of the difference in how i feel about stuff and how it is commonly perceived It is however my experience that such conflicts does not remove the reality of the subjective experience.

I would not actually say its troubling me or that i am in distress but it was simply an observation of inner discomfort associated with the expression of which i correctly assumed other neurodivergent must have sensed it.

So having leveled that pitfall (attempt):

Following wiktionary the definition of weird can portray to one of the following:

1. Unusually strange character or behavior. 2. Deviating from the normal; bizarre. 3. Relating to weird fiction (macabre speculative fiction). 4. (Archaic) Pertaining to the Fates. 5. (Archaic) Connected with fate or destiny; able to influence fate. 6. (Archaic) Pertaining to witches or witchcraft; supernatural; unearthly. 7. (Archaic) Having supernatural or preternatural power.

I believe many on the spectrum have experience expressing 1 and 2

Personality i would call republicans sick. I think they are perfectly reasonable if you consider that they have a completely broken perspective of reality.

Greed, inflated ego, lack of empathy. They are illnesses because they are undermining the survival of our species as a whole.
- Yeah but that's what I'm saying. When people call Trump weird it's because he fits the definition of 1 and 2 when compared to every other candidate in the modern era. So he really is weird in that way. Where as you may feel 1 and 2 but just different from your peer group. It's not an insult in either scenario. Although colloquially it's meant to be.

Sorry you're going through that. I guess one silver lining is that your name isn't Karen. Could be worse, right?

What a weird hill to die on. This is not about you. Learning to separate yourself from things like this is a virtue. Clearly you recognize that you “know that’s not what it’s about.” So what is this thread about? Just a way to make something about yourself. Be weird, don’t apologize for it, and learn to respect yourself well enough to separate yourself from things that have nothing to do with you as a person.

That's not a very nice or smart reply. It's pretty clear that they're logically aware of what you said, but that it still feels hurtful.

Weird is an all encompassing word that doesn’t favor any specific type of weird. You can be good-weird, and you can be bad-weird.

Just like you can be good-smart and you can be bad-smart, or good-attractive or bad-attractive.

Because he is called weird, doesn’t take away from your own weirdness.

!remind me 8 years.

This will have the consequence of weird, once again, only being negative.

I predict it will become like the word gay and will need to be redeemed/reclaimed in the same way in the future
- I doubt it. Trends, be they catch-phrases, or be they memes- just don’t have the shelf-life they used to. We consume and forget. That’s our culture.
  
  Now had this happened in the 70’s? Forget about it. We’d STILL be going by that paradigm now.

People use mean words incorrectly often. Think about calling some "dumb" when they mean ignorant or lacking intelligence, the word means "mute" which is a real affliction that affects people and could happen to anyone, thus pushing down a demographic who literally does not have "a voice" to speak up. Abelism is rampant in the English language

My advice is don't take it to heart but note it since they might use mean words directly against you, or if you're vulnerable enough with the person, gently talk to them about it

Ive embraced it. I mean look at what lead to 2016. Tried to stay on point and ignore the wierd (call it crazy or stupidity or whatever you like but it all boils down to the same thing). Its not like intelligent discussion is not going on but you know we are having some fun to and hey given what we may have coming up we need all the fun we can get.

The world doesn't revolve around you.

If you’re name is Karen you have a right to express your discomfort with the Karen meme.

Not every expression of discomfort is an attack on the source of discomfort.

I am not asking anyone to stop doing what they are and i express i understand that what is happening is positively effective.

Are you asking me to not share my feelings in an autistic community because you believe the feelings don’t apply to a large enough population? People have on this post expressed that they do feel similar to me and are sharing perspectives on how they they are dealing with this feeling. That alone justifies my reason to share.

Have you considered holding up a mirror and reasoning that this post and the personal feelings i express do not revolve around you and your commentary serves of no value besides devaluing the experience of beings who do relate to the subject matter?

Peace be with you stranger.
- Hell no, please continue to share your feelings and thoughts wherever you please, just know that there are a very small minority of people who enjoy seeing others suffer to feel better about their own shitty feelings.
  
  The fact that you identify as weird doesn't make you unique, so please don't bet on hedging the foundation of your personality on that and then in consequence get troubled enough about it to post online for random strangers to validate you.
  
  You are fucking powerful and weird and amazing. You don't need dipshits on the internet to empower that, you should own it.
- You're quite right and your post is absolutely not giving off any level of "the world revolves around me" energy so don't take that comment to heart my friend. I agree with the other comments telling you that there's different kinds of weird. If you proudly identify as "weird" then I'd probably argue that your version of "weird" could probably be described as "non-conforming", "alternative" or "unorthodox". The version of "weird" that is used to attack someone like Trump or his cronies is meant as "creepy" or "unhinged". Basically it's meant to take the wind out of the sails of a bunch of elitists trying to pass themselves off as some kind of man of the people by calling attention to the fact that they are not the strong average Joe they try to present themselves as. No need to feel like you might be mistaken for one, that shoe doesn't fit you and you can probably trust that everyone can see that.
Seriously lol