[Tigereyes]

It's so weird and wrong to have all my responsibilities, freedom, and privacy suddenly stripped away again after 4.5 years of living independently. I turn 24 in a few months.. stop treating me like I'm 12. Please. You don't always know what's best for me. You don't even know me anymore. I grew up and figured out a lot by myself throughout college, especially my first year. I lived 100% ALONE my first year. I don't need you to tell me what to do. I'm trying to communicate my plans out of respect, but I don't have to. And you need to start respecting me, my time, my space, my boundaries. I'm not a child anymore! I haven't been for years and years. I've been through so much shit that you don't even know about, and you have no right to know. I know myself and what my body needs; stop trying to tell me I'm wrong and need to push myself harder. I already push myself too hard, and it's so hard to work on unlearning over two decades of that behavior pattern. You might be older and be my parents, but you still have a lot of growth that needs to happen. You have no right to go through my stuff, by the way. None. Especially without reason. You were just snooping, and now I feel violated, broken, and betrayed. I shouldn't have to bury art from you. I shouldn't have to suppress my emotions. I should have the freedom to be myself. I am my own person. And there are things about me that I know you won't like, but neither of us can change it. I'm asexual. I'm aromantic. Yes, those things exist; no, I can't change myself. No, I don't want to come out to you ever, and I don't have to. My goal isn't to be out to you. But I miss living with roommates/friends who I could just be myself around. You're afraid of my spending the night at a "gay" friend's house, but I lived with queer friends and roommates for 4 years. Don't tell me at 23 that I can't spend the night at one of those same friend's houses. Yes, I should let you know if I'll be home that night or not, but would you really rather me drive home when I'm too tired to drive safely than spend the night with a friend I've already spent years living with?