Ignorance is not Bliss

I will admit that I am sort of a reality TV junky.  I love almost all of the talent shows, yes I watched the Rising Star finale last night and was pissed off that the West Coast didn't get to vote, and sometimes I even get into the human interest type shows.  I am not a fan of the dating shows like Bachelor or Bachelorette.  One of the shows I have liked for years has been 19 Kids and Counting, or however many kids they had at the time.  I have liked this family since they had just a single show special about having a large family.

Those of you who know me know that I am as far from like this family as you can probably get.  I am a practicing Witch, very granola, have lived an alternative lifestyle, have questionable tastes in just about everything, and most of all am a huge supporter of the LGBTQ community.  Yet I still love this family.  I love them because even though we don't share the same beliefs, and they would probably damn me to their hell, they have a very strong conviction in their beliefs and they don't waiver from them.  I love them because they teach their children good and honest values.  I love them because even though they have this mammoth family they aren't living off the government, in fact they pay taxes for other kids to use the public schools while home schooling their own kids.  And up until now I have actually defended them to others.

But now we have a problem.  You see Michelle Duggar made a crucial mistake in my book.  She opened her mouth without doing her research, and in doing so she not only labeled an entire community but she also insulted them.  Her town of Fayetteville, AK was voting on an ordinance that would prevent discrimination of transgender people in their town.  It would allow them to file complaints if they felt they had been discriminated against during housing transactions, employment decisions, and other public accommodations.  This would include using the public restroom and changing facilities that the person identifies with and not necessarily the gender they are born with.

This is where Michelle decided she had issues.  According to a pre-recorded message that was dialed out to residents of Fayetteville Michelle said in part "males with past child predator convictions that claim they are female to have a legal right to enter private areas that are reserved for women and girls." Oh Michelle, really?  Is this really what you think of the trans community?  If so you really need to educate yourself before you open your mouth on the subject again.

The truth is trans people are just like any other people in that there are all types, and the majority of them just want the chance to live their lives as the gender they feel they should have been born with.  What about all the little boys that should have been little girls?  Or vice versa?  What about all the women who should have been men?  Do you think this is easy for them?  Because I can guarantee this sure isn't a choice.  Nobody chooses to take this hard road.  Trans people are some of the strongest and bravest people I know.  They have the courage to live life as their true selves.  How many of the rest of us can say the same thing?

Are there creep child predators out there?  Sure there are.  Do they go around masquerading as women to get to your kids?  Probably not.  There are much easier and more effective ways to get to your kids than acting like a woman.  It's not the transgendered people you have to watch out for.  It's the quiet next door neighbors you'd never suspect, or the coaches who spend just a little extra time with your child.  You want to protect your kids then talk to them about the signs of being groomed for abuse.  Talk to them about how to get away and how to talk to someone if something does happen.  Talk to the little ones about who can touch and when and why and where.  But for goodness sake don't instill a fear of somebody just because they are different than you.