Last week I read one of the most heartbreaking articles in People magazine I've ever read. It was about a teen who committed suicide b/c she didn't feel loved and understood by her parents. Her situation was a lot more than the usual teenagers who demonstrate disgust with their parents, who argue over curfews and fairness, and who generally will grow to understand their parents. Her situation was of parents using their religious beliefs to discredit their child's feelings. It was a situation of parents, possibly misguided, but definitely close-minded, who drove their child to feel alone and helpless. It was a situation I really can't understand at all.
The child in the article was transgender. When she told her parents about her feelings and her discomfort with himself, they sent her to Christian counselors who tried to "fix" her.
Here's where my lack of understanding comes in: I look at transgender people the same as I look at gay people and heterosexual people. Here is my view on it all: we are all people. Human beings. Homo sapiens. No matter the situation, we are all the same.
We all like different things.
We all have different tastes.
We all feel differently.
We all breathe the same air.
We all walk the same earth.
We are all judgmental.
Yes, we are judgmental. That's a part of human nature and something that, despite the fact we know it's wrong, is still so enjoyable to do! Who doesn't love a good gossip session about who's making out with whom, who's dating whom, etc? We all enjoy hearing about other's and comparing them to ourselves! And I think we all try to hide some of our judgments from others, b/c we know it's not kind or appropriate.
But, when you're judging your own child...I can't understand that. Aren't parents supposed to raise their children to be good citizens? Isn't Christianity about loving your neighbor as yourself and caring for everyone? How is telling your child their feelings about their body is wrong an OK thing to do? How is isolating your child from others "helping" the child (the article stated that after sharing her feelings with her parents, this teen was unable to socialize with friends outside of school)? How is it the Christian thing to do to not accept your child and love him/her for what (s)he is?
There is a wave of dislike and hate moving through the world today. It's disheartening to think we've come so far from the days of Woodstock and free love and yet we haven't moved any closer to a loving world. Racial tension is soaring again. Religious wars are still being fought. Teens are taking their own lives out of sadness and isolation.
What is it going to take for this to change???
I, for one, will continue to accept people as they are. I am teaching my daughter to be kind to everyone regardless of their color, religion, partner, wealth, etc. My husband is an incredibly accepting person as well. But we are one family. Of 3 people. We'll do what we can. Will you?
No comments:
Post a Comment