Is it selfish to want to express my interests?

[Lycholko]

My sister and I both have very different tastes in music and entertainment. She likes classic rock while I love musical theatre and anime (I know it’s a weird combination.) My sister will blast her music wherever she goes and sing along to it. She’s old enough to drive so whenever she drives places, she plays her music. No one in my house tells her to turn it off, however, when I play my music a little too loud in my room and sing along to it, she tells me to turn it off and how embarrassing it is. My parents and other sister also make fun of me.

In addition to my family, my friends hate it when I talk about my favorite musical or the new manga I just started. I don't mean just and annoyed eye roll, I mean they will tell me how musicals suck and why they don't like them. I am watching the whole series of The Office because my best friend has no one to talk to about it. I know how it feels to be like that so I don't want them to feel that way. This sort of repression makes me very insecure about my taste in music. If I tell them I like musicals, I’m afraid they'll call me "gay" or say that that isn't a genre of music, etc. I think part of it is because the things I like aren't very popular. It’s hard to find people with similar interests. Has anyone ever felt this way before?

[Lou-P-J]

No, it's not selfish to express your interests, and please try not to think that.

Your situation is difficult, because you can't control other people's reactions.

You're very caring, and aware, watching the Office for your best friend, for example.

But you're suffering for it.

I worry, like you.

You need to try to be more assertive, say you like the music, you want to listen to it, and you don't appreciate the negativity towards it, especially when you're accepting of others music/tastes/choices.

[Linakv24]

Hi Lycholko, at a young age I knew I was different from my family members. Not only do I have anxiety, but I like rock music, classic movie like 1930’s era, and animation or cartoons. But you know what I never really cared about what they thought it made me happy and they can make fun off me all they want. I won’t change for them. So don’t be ashamed off your taste. Musicals are cool too. My favorite musical is the Phantom of the Opera. I just love the songs. And if you ever watched 1930 - 1960 around that time, some of the movies were musical.