It’s hard to offend me. I tell people this a lot, usually when they are doing that verbal warning thing about something that’s about to come out of their mouth being offensive.
I simply say, “It’s really hard to offend me. Just say it.”
And it’s true.
I don’t get offended much.
There are things I don’t like to hear, because they go against not only what I believe, but what I stand for as a person, and the people I also stand for.
For example, I run a Women In Charge group on Facebook, and we get a lot of people attracted to the group who are into Female Supremacy.
I’m not.
And I don’t allow it in my group.
Not because it offends me.
It doesn’t.
But because I don’t believe in giving space to the kind of thinking that suggests a person’s worth is directly tied to the genitals they were born with.
Or to their race.
Or to their sexual orientation.
Or to the size of their bank account.
Etc.
So, I don’t allow it in the spaces I control. Not because it’s offensive. Because it’s wrong in my view, and people can promote those things in places that I don’t control.
Some people have been surprised at my lack of being offended.
They’ve said that more people should be like me, that the world would be a better place if everyone just grew a thicker skin and “manned up,” or stopp being special snowflakes.
Of course, these same people cry offense at so many things that they don’t agree with, and I often don’t feel the need to point it out. It won’t do much good, anyway.
And they would likely be offended that I said so.
It’s VERY difficult to offend me.
That doesn’t mean I want to go around offending people generally or accidentally. I often go out of my way to avoid those things that I know are offensive, partially because I like people, and I’d prefer to be on good terms with most of them. But also because I can remember these things, and maybe one less offense today (or, even a noticed kindness) will make a difference in someone’s life.
Honestly, I’m more the sort that if I want to offend someone, I’d rather it be thoughtful, personal, and on purpose.
