I have been thinking a lot about labels lately.

Not the kind of labels you buy in a store.

The kind of labels we make, and use on ourselves and others.

Why we have this need to label... to fit everything into a nice neat box.

I think we are threatened by the unknown, by things we can't understand. If we are able to label something or someone, we feel we have a handle on what or who they are.

But I think most labels are manufactured for our comfort.

Citing myself as an example, I find I am quite hard to label.

I hate when people cite the fact that I am a gemini as a reason for my varied personality.

When did having layers and being complicated become a bad thing?!

Our darwinistic path has led us here... being one dimensional is a sad thing.

I especially have a hard time with sexual labels.

Gay, straight, bi-sexual, transvestite, transsexual, bi-sexual, since when did we need to announce these things? So society can have us figured out and neatly labeled?

I have seen too many friends being destroyed by society's/friends/family's reaction to label like "gay."

A label does not change the person inside. Maybe a person who you changed the diapers of, grew up with, shared your secrets with.

Are we capable of treating each other with kindness and understanding instead of fear and disdain because of a simple label?