“Twin?” said a girl, noticing someone wearing a locket similar to her own. “Twins!” The stranger responded with matched enthusiasm, clutching her heart-shaped silver pendant.
What does it mean to be a twin? The commonly known biological definition has extended into popular culture as slang words such as “twin” or “twinning” are often used to refer to a person who looks, acts or thinks the same as someone else. This perception and take on the word, while being fun, simultaneously reflects how society views twins—expecting one to be an exact copy of the other.
Senior Iseul Park describes the complexities of being perceived as a twin.
“People always think that twins are gonna be super similar, hang out with the same friends and have the same friend group,” Park said, “When people find out that you’re a twin, the first thing that comes to mind is ‘Oh how are they similar?’ Because that’s how everyone’s taught, that twins are similar. They’re similar people. They look alike.”
Park further explained the ways she and her twin differed in aspects of life, including how they spend free time, their activities and passions, emphasizing the differentiation of identities between twins.
A sophomore at CHS, Jules Pashturro, spoke on how not meeting the expectation of being the same as his twin led to people’s surprised reactions.
“A lot of times they just don’t believe I’m a twin, because we’re opposite genders and we’re not identical. So they’re just like ‘You guys are not twins’. “ Pashturro said.
Pashturro put into words just how relevant and normalized the concept of looking and acting the same equates to being twins in many people’s minds. He also discussed how comparison comes along with being a twin.
“There definitely is comparison, but most of the time it’s just because we’re twins,” Pashturro said. “And it’s like, ‘you guys should be the same, but we’re completely different, and you can tell that we’re different.”
Park has a similar take.
“We’re both our own people,” Park said. “And sometimes people try and point out the difference, or just make a big deal out of it, when really, we’re just siblings like everyone else.”
Everyone experiences comparison now and then – for twins, it’s a common occurrence, heightened by the expectation of sameness. However, being someone’s twin comes with an indescribable bond.
“It’s kind of just like a built-in best friend,” said CHS senior Keenan Cooke.
