Just Another Wednesday in East Coast Hell

 

Image credit: Vex collective 

It seems strange that in order to properly introduce myself and my surroundings to you, I need to clarify some details that many would consider taboo or unsavory to discuss. Yes, my introduction to you is unlike most you'll read - not because I want to be unconventional, but because the circumstances of my existence deem it so.

  I live on the east coast in a neighborhood known more for its despair than its hope. It's a dark, repugnant underbelly of a world that so many fail to acknowledge or recognize. On my street, pimps and madams have set up a nightmarish, twisted bazaar of humanity, where human dignity is cast aside, their basic essence and worth traded in exchange for momentary pleasure and money. I'm often faced with confused, judgmental expressions when people learn about where I live. The immediate presumption is that if a person is dwelling in such an area, they must, of course, be part of this unspeakable business. However, let me assure you that I am not a prostitute. I don't exchange my dignity and the sanctity of my body for financial gain. Not only because of the utter disrespect and violation it signifies, but because of my intrinsic belief in my own worth, the idea of selling oneself is an unthinkable concept to me.  

Surrounded by sexually active freaks, whoremongers, sexual predators, rapists, creeps, gays, and weirdos and I'm still not involved 

No, I am not in a perpetual state of sexual engagement. Again, a conclusion people may rush into based on where I live. You see, I believe that sexual engagement is a personal choice. To label everyone living in such an area with such a broad, stereotypical brush does great disservice to individual choice and experiences. As it is with my personal circumstances, it could also be so with many others. Yet, I must emphasize that I am deserving of respect, the same respect that anyone would give to another human being based on their character and conduct. In spite of where I dwell or the circumstances I live amidst, my self-worth is undeterred, my conviction unscathed. Being in a filthy environment doesn't make me filthy, and being surrounded by dehumanizing conditions doesn't make me less human. Quite the contrary, it strengthens my resolve to maintain my self-worth, my dignity. Living in such an environment, it's hard to ignore the heart-rending screams of desperation and loss that often fill the nights. They are cries of the fallen and the oppressed, ones society has often turned a blind eye to. I'm surrounded by lives shattered and destinies altered, but that doesn't alter my determination to assert my individuality.

Despite living in such grim circumstances, there is a side of me that hopes and believes. A side of me that fervently clings onto the belief that every person is worthy of being treated with respect, dignity, and kindness, irrespective of the external circumstances surrounding them. As for me, my body is my own, my choices are mine, and I will continue to fight for respect, because in the end, my worth isn't determined by where I live, but rather by the depth of my character and the strength of my conviction. This is the fundamental truth of human existence that often gets overshadowed amidst society's narrow judgment and cruel stereotypes. So remember, reader, before you cast that judgment or let your prejudices take hold, every person you encounter - no matter their circumstances - is deserving of basic human respect, empathy, and decency. Even those who live among the pimps and madams of the world.