i've said it before and i'll say it again, the concept of enforced 'professionalism' is a key weapon in the oppressive arsenal of capitalism

everything about this system is constructed to dehumanise you so you feel disheartened, disconnected from yourself, and unable to stand up for your own rights, wants, morals, and protections

and it starts in schools! with uniforms and homogenous structure that you are expected to slot neatly into without complaint

no, no, your needs are not as important as the need to be productive! suppress your human desire for independence, connection, spontaneity, learning through play, a routine you have agency over

unprofessionalism is almost always:
- standing up for yourself and your boundaries
- representing your identity through your appearance
- asserting your agency
- protecting yourself or someone else from harm, either physical or emotional
- acting like a human being

it feeds into discrimination in the workplace - it's unprofessional to wear your hair like that, it's unprofessional to take a break to feed your baby, it's unprofessional to not have a quiet, aesthetically pleasing environment with fast internet from which to take this Zoom call

it's unprofessional for us to provide you with somewhere to sit and rest during your shift, it's unprofessional for you to be dressed comfortably and appropriately in flat shoes for an 8 hour shift on your feet

on a personal level, i am constantly fighting with myself to dance the line between what i am happy to sacrifice in the name of financial stability and what i wouldn't ever bend on

and consistently - the further apart my image of myself is from the reality of the actions i have to take, the more fractured and combative my relationship is with my own mental health and wellbeing

and yet i am still in a position of great privilege to be muddling through okay and finding a degree of compromise that is ~more comfortable. to find employers who are okay with my commitment to honesty and personal integrity, queer identity, and individual expression

i'm so extremely grateful for that - but it should be offered to everyone - nobody should be forced to take a position of employ that infringes on their morals, individuality, boundaries, or health. and that's not going to change unless we shift our priorities away from capital

in conclusion: fuck the concept of 'professionalism' and everything it infringes upon, fuck capitalism, thanks