Why labels matter

Growing up, people used to tell me I shouldn't say I was "gay"; I should say I "struggled with same-sex attraction" instead. I've always hated that phrase, but it took me a long time to be able to express why.
This is a different kind of video from me, and I'd love to hear your thoughts on it. I'm also really curious to see if you noticed some of the same things in the story that I noticed. Share your thoughts with me in the comments!
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Thanks to the following creators for use of their art:
Jan Genge: unsplash.com/@jan_genge
Lucie Hošová: unsplash.com/@marjorylucabaxter
Nivea221: freesound.org/people/Nivea221...
16FPanskaLan_Jiri: freesound.org/people/16FPansk...
ChristiKuhn: freesound.org/people/ChristiK...
seenms: freesound.org/people/seenms/s...
ramiro1007: freesound.org/people/ramiro10...

[@brittanyharmsie]

I love this video. I never heard The Ugly Duckling applied in that way and the story now has a much deeper significance to me. Thank you.

[@BLAZINFAST]

If you started a channel which was just reading bedtime stories I would be 100% behind it. This was just lovely. Totally felt for our little swan boy in every word.

[@GeekyJustin]

Aw, shucks. Maybe if I can't make a living doing my other work...

[@tw1398]

This is the first time the Ugly Duckling story made me cry. Thanks so much for this analogy and perspective. When I came out to my dad at age 21 his main objection was to acceptance of the label. I didn't know how to explain to him the importance of it to me.

[@Jayboy509]

Your videos are so refreshing to watch

[@GeekyJustin]

Thank you!

[@davidandrewlibby]

This is so good, Justin. Thank you.

[@GeekyJustin]

Glad you liked it!

[@rrob5531]

Another excellent, thought provoking piece from Justin. Thank you! The only place where the analogy fails is where the cygnet is not the real offspring of the mother duck. In real life a ‘mother duck’ can have a ‘cygnet’ that is as precious and beautiful and as much her own as a ‘duckling’.

[@GeekyJustin]

Yes indeed. A very good point.

[@traceyalex1722]

Thanks for this video, I'd never thought of this story in this context before. I think a sad thing about it is that the "duckling" is still being judged after he becomes a swan, it just happens to be positive rather than negative. Now he's all big and beautiful he's acceptable. How shameful that he was treated so badly when he was a smaller but perfectly ok cygnet. I realize it's only a children's story, but it really resonates if you haven't already reached your "swan" moment and maybe don't feel like you ever will.

[@EarlHarville]

Wow, Justin!! This is amazing! I'm tearing up over here. Powerful perspective.

[@PhoenixMinistry]

:: tucks self in:: ... Ahh... this is nice... Wait! What?! Ariel turns into foam? Eric marries Pat Carroll?! :: gets out of bed to be “up in arms” :: continues listening... smiles at seeing what point he is going to make... sees picture of little Justin:: AHHHH!!! Adorbz!... :: beams at the encouraging comparison of our community to beautiful swans:: I really enjoyed this! I love seeing an advocacy for the fact that “labels” (with mutually defined terms) grant massive amounts of understanding in every and all relationships. I think people that may be opposed to “labels” are often afraid of being easily defined (since we are all multi-faceted people.) What they may sometimes forget is that a label is only a place to start identification, and is not the total destination. A label is the starting point so we can immediately know the individual’s context. This allows us to dive deeper and more authentically in our pursuit of intimacy with one another. Great video! Keep ‘em comin’!

[@GeekyJustin]

This comment was a journey and I loved all of it.

[@markie10ful]

Great analogy!

[@peggyt5409]

Justin, you are simply rad. I love your narration, and I love your perspective on labels. This is like the story of so many of my LGBTQ+ friends, POC friends, Aspies... Are the illustrations from the original story? Edited to add: Your kid picture is sooo cute 🤩 (as are your grown-up pictures haha)

[@GeekyJustin]

Haha thanks! The illustrations are from various old printings of the story that have fallen into public domain. (The swan photos are from photographers who have made their work available for reuse online.)

[@k.andersen1515]

Awesome! Thanks a lot for this! And man, you are a great storyteller! Should do this more often.

[@davidmachemer1015]

You never fail to enlighten. (Also, you would be a very good storyteller for small children!)

[@lw498]

Thank you soo much! This is so wholesome and helpful.

[@GeekyJustin]

Glad you liked it!

[@coolfix948]

Just thank you !

[@ReaganTeen15]

The struggle for me was always 'learning to purr or lay eggs', so to speak. I used to dread the idea that I would have to hide my orientation and to be good enough at being a 'duck', I'd have to find a girl to marry and have a family with her. I was cynical about the idea, and felt that after 10, 20 years, I was doomed to finally lose the facade and everything would be exposed, I feared that I would be unable to remain faithful to my 'good Christian family', and end up like Ray Boltz or something, abandoning that family eventually. Or, I'd be miserable my entire life, feeling that my family would be a ball and chain, and resent them. Growing up I was terrified of all these things, the concept of starting a family filled me with dread. It wasn't until I left home after high-school that I finally accepted that no, im not a 'duck', im a 'swan'. :) About that time, God started getting ahold of my life again, I saw Matt Vines presentations, I found this channel, I learned that there are other interpretations to those ancient passages that make better sense. :)

[@gabrielandlukas380]

Thank you so much for this, it really touched my heart. God bless you and keep you in his Love

[@nikouchiha4514]

Love love love

[@GreatGrannyFreeBird]

I was always the ugly duckling of five girls. But I love how you use the story to encourage seeing it through the eyes of an LGBTQ person. The value of finding your tribe is… Life saving.

[@KennyVert]

Good video, Justin. Thank you.

[@GeekyJustin]

Thanks!

[@synchronicityman9062]

Good to see you back on KZbin, Justin. I just discovered you a few days ago and thought I was late to the party! I really like your work, your spirit, and your approach. Kudos to you. After I watched this, YT immediately started showing me this video. Any thoughts or encounters with this guy, Joe Dallas? kzbin.info/www/bejne/bIrOp5ppfc2mlZo

[@GeekyJustin]

I haven’t watched that particular video, but Joe’s been saying a lot of the same things since I was a teenager. I believe that he believes what he’s saying, but I think he’s pretty far off the mark. Maybe I’ll do a response to one of his videos one of these days. Also, thanks! :)