i genuinely think a lot of girls online larp having a cnc kink because they associate it with being edgy, desirable, or appealing to a certain male audience. they treat it like an aesthetic the same way they treat bunny ears, deer imagery, or coquette posting. that's exactly why i find it weird.
for me, it was never an aesthetic. i developed those interests because of things that happened to me when i was younger, and that's not funny or quirky. it's not something i'd recommend, romanticize, or wish on anyone. whether people understand it or not, it came from real experiences, not internet trends.
i'm not bringing this up because i want attention or because i'm proud of it. i'm saying it so people understand that there is a difference between someone whose interests developed from their own experiences and someone treating it like an online persona.