Stirring Things Up

I have become much more outspoken recently, and this has attracted praise and deep criticism from others. Whether it is about my personal life or what is going on in the world right now, I believe I should express my feelings; of course there are times when speaking up is not alright. For example, I would not bring up my support of same-sex marriage to relatives from my parents’ native country or my extended family members and friends who are against it. If any of them read last week’s post about this issue and wanted to discuss (or confront) me about it, I would of course stand my ground and defend my position. Generally, I find that people will speak up to others, but not directly to the person(s) responsible for stirring things up.

There are times when being “nice” and keeping quiet should be the last things a person does. I was actually advised recently to not use the word nice when describing someone, because it implies being gullible, or easy to manipulate. I think people used to see me in this way, so when I would express my opinions it would shock and anger them sometimes. The idea that the “nice” girl would have strong points of view and speak up against injustice is still considered contradictory.

For Fathers’ Day, posted a quote and comment on Facebook about how it is easy to become a father rather than to actually be one. It was a positive status update, because it praised men who are real fathers, without mentioning those who have given up, never tried, or are just bad at it. I recently heard that someone was put off by the implication of my Facebook status. Perhaps I touched a nerve without trying; who knows? I stand by my words and what I put out on the Internet. While I am not known to be confrontational, I will defend my right to speak up when it is challenged.

Do you avoid confrontation, or are you known for stirring things up?