Identity Crisis

I had an interesting conversation with an acquaintance the other day. It was one of those conversations where you realize that you are standing on the other side of a deep cavern and there is no middle ground, you either agree or disagree, and I had to disagree. I did not however come right out and say that I disagreed; I just interjected a few comments hoping that this person would realize that there was another way to look at this without building this one thing into something they might regret later.

Here is the issue. My friend does not want her child watching Dancing With The Stars as long as Chaz Bono is on the show as a contestant. She feels that Chaz is a bad example for her child and she thinks that the fact that Chaz has chosen to change his body to reflect how he feels as a person is not his choice, only God can make these decisions as far as my friend is concerned. Her feeling is that as long as Chaz is on the show her child is saying that this choice that Chaz made is a good choice, essentially putting her stamp of approval on what my friend considers wrong.

This is where I climb back up on my soap box, so if you are of the same mind as my friend you may not like what I am about to say. GET OVER IT! Making your child not watch the show is not going to stop that child from interacting with people that have had sex changes. The odds are good that someone in your life right now is involved in any number of things that you or I might not agree with. That is not ever going to change. This child you are trying so hard to protect is going to go off to college or get a job with someone that is gay or transsexual. Honestly, how will you ever know unless the person tells you what their sexual orientation is? The other issue is why would you care?

There are people in my life that are gay and I have no interest in deciding for them if that is a good or bad choice. I will have enough things to account for when I get to the pearly gates, why would I want to lug other people's personal choices along with my own? Besides, I am certain that negative responses to a person's life choice is not going to change them into thinking how I think, it is only going to cause them to step away from me. If I really want to help someone see what I consider a better choice wouldn't I want to be nice to that person and show them that I care about them no matter what, instead of using the "it's my way or the highway" thought process?

I know that some will not agree with me on this, but I hope that you will care about me enough to know that I am still a good person. It does not always matter if we think alike. It does not matter if we choose to be gay, I am not even sure if it is a choice. Why would people take on a lifestyle they know will cause themselves and people they love hardship on purpose? Regardless of that I guarantee that whether you watch them on television or study next to them in class or even work with them on a job you are the one that will learn and grow. You are learning tolerance, acceptance and a greater love for another of God's precious creatures. Let God be the judge. Now if you are standing on the other side of this cavern and do not agree with me that is OK, that is what is so great about life, we all have a voice and a choice.