it’s human nature for people to adopt it as an identity, which introduces a lot of noise to the conversation, and we lose some of our objectivity toward it, as now there’s an emotional attachment to the label itself.
I’ve noticed this in LGBQT culture as well. I’m a gay older Millenial and I’ve noticed that zoomers make their sexuality a much bigger part of their identities than qeer folks my age and older do as it becomes more accepted. For me, I don’t want to be “special”. I want absolute equality- I wish being with my boyfriend was seen as normal and ordinary.
Your GenX peers wanted the same from you, as did their Boomer peers from them. One day, those same zoomer friends of yours will be confused and annoyed by their Gen Alpha friends’ slang, and the cycle will continue.
Oh fuck I can’t unsee it