Am I valid? An overview on reflections on self image and internet culture.
Valid What is valid? That is the question am I valid? I don't feel valid. I get so many constant validations, but there is a little seed of doubt that refuses to believe. This is commonly known as imposter syndrome. I think I have felt this because of an almost constant sense of alienation: I knew I was different. People who know me in real life or more personal if still on the internet only, tell me that I am beautiful, attractive, and yet I cannot shake the anxiety of authenticity. Among trans spaces, this is at best ironically and at worst pejoratively called The Hugbox and it is very bad for a lot of reasons, not only because of its origins from ableism against autistic people, but implies that affirmations are fake, and the truth is negative. One is receptive to such an attitude when they believe that the truth hurts– it can hurt, sometimes, but truth can be healing, positive, and affirming, and lies can be negative and hurtful. The Hug-box sounds good, I mean, who w...
