In my past apartment I lived in a clothing optional environment. It’s definitely my preference.

I also lived that way in college when I roomed with my best friend and her mother. It just wasn’t a big deal if I popped out of the shower and left the towel in the bathroom to walk to my room.

I know America in general has a host of body issues. Art modeling is what helped me get past mine.

And I feel like once you’ve gotten past that point where bodies are gross and shameful, it’s impossible to go back.

Bodies are just bodies, actually. Everybody has one.

My current roommate is pretty cool and laid-back. But not enough to deal with my clothing-optional ways.

She said that I seem very comfortable with myself and live a very open lifestyle and that’s great, but she wants to be able to share common space with me and feel comfortable.

And she also does seem sensitive to the fact that I ought to feel comfortable in my own home, too, but it seems like her point of view “wins” here.

And I keep thinking about all the talk I’ve been hearing lately about trans people related to bathrooms.

It’s the same issue – in what context are bodies okay? What bodies can be in what situations? And most importantly, who gets to decide?

There was a post that came up on my Facebook feed regarding the issue where the man said, “Why should 98% of people have to be uncomfortable for 2% to be comfortable?”

But what if the 98% is wrong?

Being in the majority doesn’t make you right.

And I don’t think that I’m necessarily enlightened or anything like that because I’m comfortable sitting on the couch without a shirt on.

But why is it that we default to the majority opinion? Or to the less open person?

Why not see this as an opportunity for growth if I am “more” open than you?

Why am I the one that has to change?

Why not examine what being comfortable means or learn to realize that feeling uncomfortable won’t kill you.

I just don’t know how society is ever going to change for the better if we’re taught to pander to those who are racist or sexist or transphobic or in whatever way uncomfortable with how someone else is expressing themselves.

People don’t want gay people to get married because it makes them uncomfortable.

I’m not comparing my situation to that, but I’m saying it stems from the same kind of thinking.

To the majority (in whatever sense), being uncomfortable seems like the worst thing there is.

But having your rights stripped away is that much worse, actually.

And its that much more insidious when the majority tries to sugar-coat their message and say we’re better than they are but they just can’t handle it so can we be patient with them? Because then you feel like a dick for saying no.

And I know it’s important to meet people where they are and all that jazz.

But I just get tired of it, you know?

In a lot of situations I am outside the majority. And I get tired of constantly feeling I must bend myself to fit some mold that never even made sense to begin with?

Can’t we just live and let live and make people accountable to deal with their own issues just as much as we are accountable to meet them where they are?

Can’t we all be adults here? Or is that too much to ask?