Thursday, November 17, 2011

I do not look like a child...

I'm going to vent (again) about the comments people make to me about how old I look.

Yesterday, I was told repeatedly by several women in the community that I look like a child. Over and over and over again. "You really do look like a child, how could you be the pastor you look like a child. My husband said look there's the pastor and I couldn't believe it you look like a child."

I DO NOT LOOK LIKE A CHILD.

I might look younger than I am (maybe I don't really see it to be honest) but I DO NOT LOOK LIKE A CHILD.

And guess what people it's actually not a compliment to be told over and over again that I look like a child. It's insulting.

It's insulting because people make assumptions about your life, I'm not a teenage mother.

It's insulting because people talk down to me and generally tend to treat me like a child/teenager.

Let me give you an example. When I was 22 in college and volunteering at the church. I was prepping a craft for the children which involved cutting cardboard out with an exacto knife. When I grabbed the exacto knife a woman walked up to me and said, "No, no honey I'm not sure you should be using the knife."

It was pretty awkward for her when I explained how old I was and that I could actually use sharp objects.

It's exasperating, it's not a "compliment" to be treated like a child so stop it. Obviously as the pastor of a church and the  mother of two children I'm not a child so stop telling me that.

Thanks all done.

2 comments:

Jessica White said...

I agree...you look young, but you don't look THAT young. Why do people always feel the need to say/do the most rude things, because of what they think.

Anonymous said...

If it makes you feel any better, I guessed from your picture up top that you were in your mid-twenties. I found on your "About Me" section that you are 27, so I was in the right range. If Hollywood hadn't used 24-30 year olds to portray teenagers, you probably wouldn't have so much of a problem. Oh yes, and it IS insulting to say to somebody that they look like a child. When people talk about wanting to look younger, they usually mean 20s (across the decade), NOT teens.