My goal for this blog was to be transparent, to the point where people might *gasp* not like what I say. It has been awhile since I've felt the need to update this blog, but yesterday I read an article that made me think a whole lot. Most have heard about the public school protest over a boy wanting to use the girls' locker room because he identifies as a girl. The first thing I read was this New York Times article.
When I read it I was angered at the close-mindedness of the protesters, but then the composition teacher in me came out. I realized that, while the article was not biased and presented the protest by simply stating facts, there were no quotes from any of the protesters. As the reader, I didn't get any of the students' reasons for protesting.
So I read some more articles and this Washington Post article gave more balanced quotes, although was much more biased towards Lila Perry, the transgender student. I realized that while I hate that Perry is bullied and shamed, I completely side with the protesters. “The way I was raised, I have no problem with a transgender, but he shouldn’t be in the women’s locker room until he has the surgery,” one parent said. If you are still a male in terms of anatomy, it makes sense that you would use the mens' locker room.
This made me wonder how many other people think it's wrong to let a biological male use a woman's locker room, but are so swayed by media and "politically correct guilt" that they convince themselves otherwise. We're told that if we disagree with the mainstream, then we're "on the wrong side of history." Well, many times history is wrong. History is written by the winners, so isn't it possible that people are wrong even when they are considered right by the majority?
I'm glad the female students protested. At the very least, it will hopefully put a policy in place for bathroom use. I just hope that the policy is "on the wrong side of history." Personally, I don't care much who sees me in a locker room, but women (and men) have the right to feel uncomfortable about changes to their privacy.
Sure, there's the argument that a person like Perry is, at heart, a woman so other women should simply see him as a fellow woman. Really, it's sad that this is even an argument. It's sad that any person has to change their body to "be who they are." This raises the question, "If Perry or Jenner or any transgender person was raised in a less wealthy country without access to cosmetic surgery, are they then forever doomed not to be 'who they are'?"
That's a sad thought. There are potential future medical advances that may allow for uterus transplants (Sauk Valley), but that is currently just for women with a damaged uterus. Currently, men can't have children and aren't biologically women with transgender operations. I don't think men can become women or vice versa. I say "I don't think" because here I am confused. There ARE babies born with both genitalia and it's the parents' decision which gender they choose the baby to have. However, even if a man or a woman can become a different gender, that doesn't make it a good thing.
So, I'll say it: I don't think people should try to change their genders. Now, the unfortunate thing is that many people reading this will label me as a hater, a judge, a close-minded jerk...and they would be right about the judge part. I'm making a judgment, but when did that automatically become a bad thing? So, it's a compliment to have good judgment, but an insult to make judgments? Some of this is just semantics, but I think I'm making a good point that we're too afraid of having genuine convictions.
Does that make me hate transgenders? Frickin' NO. It's almost impossible for me to hate anyone. I'm simply sad for anyone who thinks they have to change their bodies to become "who they are."
All that said, stop bullying people, whether they want to be a different gender or are gay or whatever. Disagree if you want, protest if you want, but do these things in loving ways. Hate never changes things for the better.
