Lately, I’ve been wondering… why do we put so much weight on labels?
There are so many ways to define gender, sexuality, and even who we are as people. And honestly, I get it. Finding the right word can feel like finding a little piece of home. It’s comforting, even empowering, to have something that helps us understand ourselves or connect with others.
But here’s the thing - why does a label have to define us?
Let me give you an example. My boys have a really close friend who has autism. For the sake of privacy, let’s call him Ben.
Ben is one of the sweetest, most caring kids you’ll ever meet. He’s always looking out for my boys and making sure they’re okay. Yes, Ben has autism - but here’s the thing: he’s not like the next kid with autism. He’s Ben.
I understand that labels like “autism” can be helpful. They provide clarity in schools, funding, and the right kind of support. But that label doesn’t define him. He’s not “autistic Ben.” He’s just Ben. Autism is part of who he is, sure, but it doesn’t come close to capturing his personality, his kindness, or the way he makes people feel.
And it shouldn’t.
Because Ben is so much more than a label.
And aren’t we all?
Look, labels can be helpful, yes - but they can also be incredibly limiting. They can box us in, make us smaller, and shape how we see ourselves - sometimes in ways we don’t even notice.
Think about sexuality for a moment. Does it really matter who you’re attracted to? Is that the essence of who you are? It’s just one small piece of the vast, intricate puzzle that makes you you.
You’re not “gay,” “straight,” or “bi.” Those words might describe a part of your experience, but they don’t define the depth of your character, your passions, or the dreams that make your heart race.
You’re so much more than a label. You’re you.
The same goes for professions. You’re not your job title. That’s just what you do - it’s not who you are. And those personality labels we throw around - “I’m a perfectionist,” or “he’s such a pessimist”? These might describe certain tendencies, but they don’t capture the full picture of who we are. You’re not a perfectionist or a pessimist; you simply have perfectionistic or pessimistic tendencies. There’s a big difference.
Honestly, I find it really frustrating when people reduce others to labels. Society pushes this idea of what’s "normal," and the moment someone doesn’t fit into that mould, they suddenly need a label.
Here’s the truth:
There’s no box big enough to hold all that you are.
So why do we keep trying to squeeze ourselves into one? Why do we let a single word, a single label, define us, when we’re so much more than that?
I get it - labels can create a sense of connection. They can help us find community, express who we are, or feel seen. But sometimes, in the process of fitting into a label, we lose a little bit of ourselves. We trim and shrink and mould ourselves to fit the box.
But you don’t belong in a box.
Because here’s the truth:
You are not your sexuality.
You are not your profession.
You are not your mental health diagnosis.
You are not the labels others give you - or even the ones you give yourself.
You are so much more.
You’re this beautiful, messy, one-of-a-kind human being. You’ve got quirks, passions, struggles, and dreams that no single word could ever hope to capture.
So why let the world shrink you down to something so small, so simple, so incomplete?
Maybe it’s time to let go of the labels and just… be.
Because no label could ever capture the magic, the complexity, and the brilliance of who you are.
You are you. And that is more than enough. 💗
