Hi all! I am an oddities vender and have started to have some weird interactions at some recent events that I have never experienced before. First let me preface by saying I know that not all people like oddities and that is okay! I carry lots of different items as my booth is a haunted attic aesthetic (think ethically sourced taxidermy, religious memorabilia, anatomical models of teeth, crystals, vintage dolls, old CDs/vinyl, antique jewelry, ect ect). However recently, I have had people come up to my booth to tell me that I am going to hell and even folks who when they walk past my booth hold their hand up over their eyes and then take it down once past me. I do not sell anything with blood/gore/nudity or anything that would be considered NSFW. I am very strong in my brand identity and products (and very aware that it is not marketed for everyone), I guess I am just a little disappointed that people would be so quick to judge and be harsh.
If you have had any similar experience, how do you politely ignore these people or deescalate the situation? I was so stunned the first time it happened that I had no clue what to reply with when someone said I was going to burn in hell lol
Also I should note that I do not go to just any vendor shows, I focus primarily on halloween/punk/goth shows and do not really stray from that. I am in a large city that is also very accepting and liberal, this is the first year I am experiencing these strange interactions.