A Continuation of What I wrote about Conformity

I hope that I did not give the impression that I was opposed to the leather attire worn by the guys working in the store that I talked about earlier. I do think men wearing leather can be very sexy. The problem that I had was that it felt like a form of discrimination. I would have thought that this would have been a more accepting atmosphere. When I was living in Lawrence, Kansas there was a store where I enjoyed shopping. It sold jewelry, clothing, knickknacks, art, hookahs, etc. It had a very open atmosphere. One of the guys who worked there would sometimes wear a long flowing skirt, and sometimes his husband would be in the store with him. Downtown Lawrence is something I miss very much. In many of the store windows there were stickers that said that they were gay friendly.

I think accepting other people as they are, and encouraging them to express themselves is a stronger sign of maturity than is expecting others to conform to societal "norms." No progress is made without stepping outside of these norms. This is true in the sciences, technology, the arts, etc. It may have become a cliche to talk about getting out of one's comfort zone, but it is essential for any kind of personal growth. I am constantly expanding my comfort zone. It is the only way for me to be happy with myself.