You might have heard the term “the black sheep,” commonly assigned to a family member who stands out or differs significantly from the rest of the family. The term has been debated to be inappropriate as it is inherently racist. A better synonym may be “outcast.” Although the term can also be used in the context of work colleagues or peer groups, I will focus on family "outcasts" in this article.

The role of the outcast is assigned verbally and overtly, or nonverbally and covertly, depending on the family. However it's assigned, it means that the person who is the outcast feels rejected by the rest of the family. Depending on the family's definition of what is “normal,” the qualities of the outcast can vary. For families whose rules are very stringent, it might not take much to become an outcast. For example, a woman wearing red lipstick might be considered to be a serious deviation from what is expected in her family and therefore becomes an outcast. For some, having a strong opinion or being passionate about a subject that is considered undesirable by the family can cause that person to be cast out. The outcast is not necessarily a bad person, but may simply be unconventional or unwilling to follow some cultural, religious, or moral norms or traditions imposed by their family. It is more prevalent for an LGBTQ person to become an outcast for bringing shame to the family, or someone with mental health difficulties for bringing embarrassment to the family, or someone with neurodiversity for thinking or feeling differently and therefore considered “weird.”

When someone reveals that they are an outcast in their........

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