Othering: the ways offbeat types push ourselves away
Over the years, I’ve seen something come up time and time again from Offbeat Bride readers: people will send an email, post on the Tribe, or leave a comment that basically amounts to, “Do I REALLY count as an Offbeat Bride? Do I really belong here?” I think of it as the Offbeat Bride’s version of othering: this way those of us who’ve defined ourselves as non-normative have of pushing ourselves away from other people. The push makes sense, of course — if you live in a region where your politics aren’t aligned with those around you, of course you’re going to feel a push, and like you need to clearly define yourself as “not that.” There are a lot of social and cultural contexts where it makes perfect sense that people who feel a little bit off the beaten path would push against the people and society around them. What makes less sense to me is when I see us push against each other…
Win the Judgey Olympics: transform your petty wedding snarks into personal growth
JUDGEY-NESS. We all do it, and it’s fine — but every time you get all judgey about someone else, you’re missing a chance to learn something valuable about yourself.
Walking on egg-shells: the challenges of serving many communities
Offbeat Bride caters to a LOT of different non-traditional niches, and that’s where the challenge comes in: everyone wants us to cater to their niche, and when we don’t, sometimes y’all get upset.
On being an offbeat consumer
I don’t see consumer as a bad word. You just have to be clear on your consumer values, and stick to them.