I Am Not a Label.

By Divya Behl

"Why fit in when you were born to stand out?" — Dr. Seuss

The idea of “fitting in” seems like the goal, doesn’t it? We’re often told that we should mould ourselves into something that the world can understand, that we should conform, follow the crowd, and be “normal.” But what does it really mean to be normal? And who gets to decide what’s normal for you? From the moment we’re born, the world begins to label us. Boy. Girl. Smart. Pretty. Ugly. Too much. Not enough. We are assigned these labels as if they are facts, but they are nothing more than assumptions. Labels are supposed to make things easier, but all they do is confine us, limit us, and silence our true selves.

Take a moment and think: How often have you been told to “tone it down” because you were “too much” for someone? How often have you been told to “behave” in a certain way, or to “fit in” with what’s expected? Girls are told to be sweet, but not too loud. Boys are told to be strong, but not too soft. If you step out of line, if you don’t fit that narrow, pre-defined box, they label you as “trouble,” “difficult,” or “rebellious.” But what if we don’t want to fit into those boxes? What if we refuse to shrink ourselves to meet someone else’s expectations? What if we want to become special and follow our dreams? And here’s the truth: We shouldn’t have to. Imagine a world where labels don’t exist—where we are seen for who we truly are, not what society thinks we should be. A world where each person is free to embrace their contradictions, their complexity, and their authenticity. Where no one is judged by their gender, race, background, or any other external factor, but by their character and actions. Imagine a world where the only expectations are the ones we set for ourselves, and every individual is empowered to be their truest self. A world where "normal" doesn’t exist, only the beauty of diversity. Now, THAT is the world we dream of.

Let’s talk about single mothers for a second. Society tells them that once their marriage ends, their life is over. They are expected to sacrifice everything for their children. And if they dare to think about their own happiness, if they choose to remarry or start fresh, society is quick to judge them. They are labeled as selfish. But no one stops to ask: What does it take to be strong? What does it take to raise children alone, to carry the weight of the world on your shoulders? No one sees the sacrifices, the battles, the daily courage it takes. And it’s not just single mothers. People in general are trapped by labels. I read in a book The Hate U Give by Angie Thomas, where Starr is forced to live in two worlds—one where she is “too much” of one thing, and another where she’s told she’s “not enough” of something else. Either way, she doesn’t fit in. And that’s the problem with labels—they don’t allow you to just be you. They force you to become a version of what others think you should be, and in doing so, they strip away your identity and individuality. 

But here’s the truth we all need to understand: Labels are nothing more than convenient ways for people to reduce you to something they can understand. And they are lies. You are not your label. We are not our grades, not our status, not our appearance, not the words others use to describe us. We are so much more than that. We are contradictions, and that’s what makes us powerful. We are strong and vulnerable. We are loud and kind. We are emotional and logical. We are complex, multifaceted human beings, and no one gets to define us.

I stand here today and refuse to be reduced to someone else’s expectations. I refuse to fit into a mould that was never made for me. I am not the label you want to put on me. I am not a box, I am not a category, and I am not an adjective. I am a person. And so are you. So tear off the labels that society tries to stick on you. Refuse to be anyone else’s idea of “normal.” Stand tall in your authenticity, because you are more than the boxes people try to put you in.

By Divya Behl