- Joined
- Nov 10, 2014
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Okay I've been thinking about this a lot and I can think of two related scenarios from school. When I started my first high school, I didn't know anyone or anything about anyone. As students filled me on how things worked, they also felt it necessary to include gossip and popular opinions on the reputation of others. Stories about two students stood out to me in particular.
1. After a very respectful, polite young man stood up for me against someone that was threatening to physically harm me, I was later crowded by other classmates who felt it was necessary to inform me of his "past". I was told that he was known as "pampers" boy because he could not control his bowel movements in primary school and wore pampers extensively. When I asked why it was relevant and why they would pick on him like that, they laughed and told me he was scornful to be around and turned the topic into a joke. It took til this thread and lots of deep thinking for me to remember him that way because I've always considered him a normal person; albeit quite talented, intelligent, and friendly with evidently admirable morals.
2. One year when we entered new classes, the same kind of talking was taking place with who knew who from when. Two students were having a very obvious falling out and it became a topic of discussion. I was told that one of the girls had gotten her period in form one and had messed up all her clothing etc and had told the other girl, her best friend. The best friend supposedly came to school the next day with a hamper of menstrual pads and underwear stained with red ink/paint and made a show of passing it around for everyone to see that it was for the embarrassed girl and why. The girl was obviously made fun of because of it and was given insulting nicknames involving words relating to feminine hygiene. It continued to baffle us why they remained best friends as the best friend continued exploiting her straight up until we graduated, but all of her behaviors were excused by everyone since they were friends and whenever the girl tried to end the friendship she was put on guilt trips by both students and teachers. Another prime example of how abusive behaviors are condoned and encouraged in this country IMO.
1. After a very respectful, polite young man stood up for me against someone that was threatening to physically harm me, I was later crowded by other classmates who felt it was necessary to inform me of his "past". I was told that he was known as "pampers" boy because he could not control his bowel movements in primary school and wore pampers extensively. When I asked why it was relevant and why they would pick on him like that, they laughed and told me he was scornful to be around and turned the topic into a joke. It took til this thread and lots of deep thinking for me to remember him that way because I've always considered him a normal person; albeit quite talented, intelligent, and friendly with evidently admirable morals.
2. One year when we entered new classes, the same kind of talking was taking place with who knew who from when. Two students were having a very obvious falling out and it became a topic of discussion. I was told that one of the girls had gotten her period in form one and had messed up all her clothing etc and had told the other girl, her best friend. The best friend supposedly came to school the next day with a hamper of menstrual pads and underwear stained with red ink/paint and made a show of passing it around for everyone to see that it was for the embarrassed girl and why. The girl was obviously made fun of because of it and was given insulting nicknames involving words relating to feminine hygiene. It continued to baffle us why they remained best friends as the best friend continued exploiting her straight up until we graduated, but all of her behaviors were excused by everyone since they were friends and whenever the girl tried to end the friendship she was put on guilt trips by both students and teachers. Another prime example of how abusive behaviors are condoned and encouraged in this country IMO.