Portrait Drawing by Marta Royo
Storytelling for Human Rights by Oana Maroti
The city and its surroundings are rife with such labels.
Far from being a justified act, calling someone "weird" betrays a lack of manners; in attempting to prove you are superior to the person you are verbally attacking, you reveal that this is, in fact, the truly bizarre attitude.
No one is perfect, but cruelty and stupidity go hand in hand, and labeling others is a form of aggression. Labeling an entire group constitutes a flagrant violation. As a "weird" Romanian woman working internationally (in the tech sector), I have been constantly labeled over the past decade. When I pause and listen—since I understand various European languages—I often hear someone say to their group: "See that woman over there? She doesn't look it, but she's Romanian; watch your bag...!"
"Calling someone 'weird' implies labeling them as strange, unusual, or outside the bounds of social norms. Depending on the context, tone, and relationship, it can range from a lighthearted joke between friends to a hurtful insult or a form of social exclusion."
This page was created in collaboration with people who have experienced such exclusion; some remain trapped in toxic dynamics.
Exclusion has been illegal since 2017! If a group employs exclusionary tactics, we can now observe the process unfold step by step online. Furthermore, if you have worked for a large corporation, you know that we must constantly protect ourselves if we aren't part of the "expat clique," as they often look for a "mouse" to toy with—preferably someone attractive. We are specifically targeted for this purpose. Instead of giving an "opportunity" for group cruelty to manifest—and make no mistake, this is cruelty of the old colonialist variety—we have been obligated since 2017 to follow and implement our own Inclusion Strategy.
Treating someone like a "toy mouse" to be played with is a form of abuse. We do not allow babies to abuse others out of sheer instinct; why do we allow adults to behave in such a vile manner?
Labeling people—much like bullying—is an abusive act, not an innocent bit of group fun.
