Beware of thinly vailed Bigotry…

If Jesus arrived on earth today, there is very little likelihood anyone would believe it. In fact, the person claiming to be Jesus would most likely be shipped into the system reserved for the ‘insane’. I know this because it is exactly what happened to my dad when I was about nine years old. Who for a while, believed himself to be Jesus and was hospitalized during it.

This isn’t really strange, if someone claimed to be Amelia Earhart, Albert Einstien, or Julius Caesar they would likely suffer a similar fate — Why? because most people would believe that the person thinking they really are those people have ‘lost touch with reality’. This idea is particularly evident in the classic ‘Miracle on 34th street”, where it literally takes a court case to determine if ‘Kris Kringle’ is really who he believes he is.

I think this is the ‘crux’ of the issue polarizing people regarding trans and gender identity vs gender ideology

Some people will argue it is for the ‘safety of our children’ other people might argue its about staying true to the definitions of ‘man’ and ‘women’ or about the risk of men identifying as women deluding the importance of the feminist movement.

But in the end, I think the concern can be unmasked, and plainly stated like this:

What kind of “crazy” world do we live in? — where people accept that men can be women and vice-versa? — We wouldn’t accept it if someone claimed to be Albert Einstien, or claimed to be an Elephant?, we would think they should get mental help for their delusion, and yet we are so eager to accept that because a man says he feels like he is women trapped inside a man’s body that we should simply ‘accept’ this as true allow him to walk into women’s washrooms and changerooms and not properly recognize this as a delusion or some perversion that, at a minimum, requires medical attention if not incarceration?

I think this topic truly scares people to their very core. What does it mean to live in a society where the things we take for granted like ‘male’ / ‘female’ can be bent and changed so that now we feel ‘forced’ to see things differently then we have understood them for thousands of years (or longer). It’s like suddenly up becomes down, right becomes left — all sense of “common sense” gets tossed out the window, and we are afraid to share an opposing view on the matter for fear of being reticuled or called a bigot.

Now I’m no psychologist by any means, but I have sought help from mental health professionals on many occasions, and what I have learned, in general terms, is that these health professionals are focused on helping individuals to the extent necessary to be able to function, cope, and contribute as part of the society to which we all belong.

In other words, suppose you have a fear of flying, and suppose that fear prevents you from seeing your family, or perhaps a fear of leaving the house prevents you from being able to get the groceries you need to survive. Or maybe your belief that your are an elephant means that you can no longer communicate, you wander around aimlessly and can no longer take care of yourself. Some of these conditions with time and effort may never remove your fear, problem or delusion, but can help you to live and work in a meaningful way and maximize your potential.

But suppose for example, that you feel that inside you embodies the spirit of the elephant. You can still 100% function, communicate with others, hold a job, have meaningful relationships. Does the very fact that you have this inner belief or feeling by itself justify a problem that needs ‘solving’? Does it mean something must be ‘wrong’ with you ? Should you be ostracized for it?

Perhaps your feeling/belief may seem a bit ‘odd’ but it is not debilitating. You may feel embarrassed to share this with others and that they may ridicule you for it. Though it is not causing any harm, holding how you feel silent may be causing your harm. In fact it can be argued the feeling is essentially no different then believing in God, following Christianity, Judaism, or any other faith, that inside you hold a deep down belief towards ‘something’ that you can’t quite understand but yet you know is true and wanting to share that feeling with others. If you turn away from it you feel sick to your stomach, and when you embrace it you feel a sense of normal.

People who think differently, who feel differently, whose identity is different, whose culture is different, sometimes these things can be very hard to empathize with, but that doesn’t mean they are ‘crazy’ or require medical help — it simply means they are different, and different is not ‘good’ or ‘bad’ it is simply different.

The choice we need to make is this: Do we celebrate that it is okay to be different (so long as our difference is not debilitating / harmful), or do we want a society that forces everyone to be the same, and exclude those who fail to follow our norms and beliefs? — This is a crucial question that has repeated itself for as long as people have set foot on this rock travelling around its star. It divides our species causing us to literally draw arbitrary lines on maps across our world and separate us.

The question I ask you to ask yourself — Are you in favor imposing your views, thoughts and beliefs on others, in living in a society which excludes or ‘kicks out’ those who are different? Are some ‘differences’ okay while others are not?, and if so, what is the defining ‘thing’ that is your compass to make that decision?

History shows no successful examples of where separating those that are different have improved our society. Division and seclusion inevitably leads to destruction. Yet thousands of examples where we moved forward by working together embracing ourselves and others toward a common goal.

So much is this the case today, that we now shun those who support segregation as we recognize it as bigotry, we look at the mistakes of the past and feel the shame of the people we have harmed trying to ‘beat the uncivilized / crazy / gay out of them’ in the name of the greater good of society.

If it is an insane world, to allow others to believe, to feel, to be whatever they want to be, to be the fullest extent of what they can be, to support them in these endeavors even when I don’t understand them myself — regardless of their age. So long as they are not harming others, so long as they are happy and can function as noted above.

If it is insane to call out those as ‘bigots’ who are for segregation, who believe that it is ‘wrong’ to be different, who believe that the very idea of discussing topics outside of the norm must be prevented. That people (children or otherwise) must be protected from hearing others points of view. That believe the sharing of inner feeling and beliefs to others must never be allowed, Heck! that if possible, the very thoughts themselves must be somehow policed and regulated by Big Brother — that their is only one ‘right belief system’ or only one ‘ true master race’

If that is insane to believe and support these things — well then I too must be insane for wanting to live in that kind of world. A world where people are free to live their own lives and their own beliefs, and have their own thoughts and dreams, share them with others — even when they may seem ‘nonsensical’ perhaps and feel safe. A world where someone isn’t ‘thrown’ into a legal / medical / mental health establishment or suspended from work or school just because they think, feel or believe something different. Where we treat one another with respect and work together despite our differences and points of view.

I do not wish to over simplify the problem or the discussion, for example a simple question such as ‘at one point exactly and to what extent do we accommodate a difference?’. It would seem reasonable to provide accommodation in all matters relating to being respectful, and an overreach to accommodate those who never asked for any accommodation to begin with. I suggest that using inclusivity as the compass for these decisions while managing them on a case-by-case basis — will provide the best chance of success for the future of our society.

Beware: Both sides can fall victim to ‘blind obedience’ !! You hear what someone says, and think ‘hey that sounds about right’, then due to confirmation bias, you continue to research and find evidence supporting your initial belief. You ‘think’ you have applied critical thinking, but accidently have ended up not appreciating both sides of the situation. Only once you can accurately restate your opponents position in a way that they respond ‘yep, that’s what I think’ can you truly start the journey of critical thinking and work towards finding common ground, anything less and you are simply a sheep following the heard.

In conclusion, one might wonder, what side am I on? Let me be 100% abundantly clear:

It is never okay to use threats, bullying, intimidation, hate speech or otherwise try to ‘force’ others that are different from you.

It is never okay to use mis-information, half-truths, scare tactics, biased statistics, memes or propaganda to rally people to your cause

It is never okay to preform ‘conversion’, brainwashing, ‘de-programming’, medical procedures or force treatment / medication on others without their consent.

I am against any form of legislation / law whose enactment removes the ability for individuals to freely make decisions on a case by case basis replacing them with a blanket ‘this is what you must always do’ — except in cases where the lack of such legislation can be found to cause harm to others.

I am against any legislation / law that removes freedom from people based on how they identify, or what they believe. Removing of individual freedom is only acceptable once an act of harm has been proven in a court of law.

I am for the side that promotes people’s ability to lead happy successful lives without fear of being prosecuted for being different.

If you believe it is okay to do any of the things mentioned above, then I am definitely NOT on your side.

We cannot afford to allow the behaviors listed above (threats, bulling, brainwashing, forcing others) in society regardless of the topic, issue or ‘what side’ of the coin you find yourself. This is harmful and This is not the way!

“I am a Jew. Hath not a Jew eyes? Hath not a Jew hands, organs, dimensions, senses, affections, passions? Fed with the same food, hurt with the same weapons, subject to the same diseases, healed by the same means, warmed and cooled by the same winter and summer as a Christian is? If you prick us, do we not bleed? If you tickle us, do we not laugh? If you poison us, do we not die?” — William Shakespeare — Merchant of Venice