I considered using the title of this article as my Display Name, but figured most of you would get the wrong idea. You’re probably getting the wrong idea about this article, so let me explain. I took ‘Dirty’ from the hip hop world, in which they affectionately call the lower portion of the United States the ‘Dirty South,’ since that is where I’m from. On the same token, the ‘Belle’ comes from ‘Southern Belle’ because, let’s face it, I am one. Well, kinda.
I have all the southern charm and manners one would expect from someone who grew up in Southern Louisiana. I treat everyone older than me with respect, so that means you’ll hear me say, “Yes, ma’am” and “No, sir.” I cannot and will not ever call a friend’s parents by their first names. My mother would slap my mouth. I wave and talk to anyone and everyone. I really could talk to a park bench if you really wanted me to. I’m proud of where I come from, however, I don’t share the same morals or values of those I grew up with or any other pure-bred Southerner.
Which is why I had to get out.
My fellow Southerners don’t get why I moved away. They don’t get why I am anti-marriage, babies, and anything remotely domestic (sadly, I can’t make my own gumbo). I can only think of one person that I grew up with who isn’t in a long-term relationship, engaged, married, with child or divorced (yes, at twenty-threeish). I fit in there, but I don’t. It’s weird. I always knew I needed to be somewhere more progressive, so I plopped myself in Chicago—to learn, to grow, to find me and be ok with it.
I’m in the process of creating a life here. So far, so good. I figure DivineCaroline might be a good place to write and share some of my growing pains and experiences. Plus, I’m a writer. I can have word vomit all I want and it’ll be ok.
So that, in a nutshell, is why ‘Dirty Belle’ seemed like a good, all encompassing Display Name for me, but I opted for it to be the title of my first article on DivineCaroline instead. Now that I think about it, I might just change it to that, after all. You can think I’m a hussie all you want.
