F55
How accepting is our society becoming
July 03 2014
Comments
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RHP User
10 years ago
At the risk of swaying off the sexuality based terms of reference here I'd like to share a story about my eldest and her friends. "Dad, I need to ask you something can we talk?" Her soft voice spoke. Now; I don't wanna talk on behalf of ALL fathers here, but that's usually the one question that wreaks havoc in the minds of us dads when it's coming from a 12 year old adolescent daughter. Lol So of course I sat down with her on the couch and asked her what was up. "Well dad, you know how I've got this pen pal in Malaysia ??" "Yesss....no you can't marry them yet :p" I replied. "Good try dad, but not funny...so I'll just ignore you said that and ask, one of my friends at school said she couldn't be my friend if I was friends with this pen pal....what would you do??" She asked. "Well firstly darlin, I'll ask how you feel about what she has said?" I enquired. "I don't get it dad, I hang around my friends at school cos we have fun together, but I also have fun writing letters to my pen pal ... I just don't understand why she's being like this. Or why she has such a problem with it; it's not like I'm giving my pen pal any more time than what I give to my friends at school. I feel torn." "Well....darlin let me let you in on a little secret. Firstly though I'm so very proud of you for accepting people for who they are and not their appearance or culture. You can be friends with whomever you choose to be friends with; after all it's your life that they're invited to share. However, not all people are going to share your thoughts in life, and from time to time we just need to forgive them for being so closed minded about these sorts of things, and forgive yourself for indulging in the fun you enjoy with or without their company." At my next chance to see my eldest I asked her how she'd decided to deal with it... And she said this.. "I told her that you're both friends of mine and I can be friends with whoever I want!! She still hangs with me so i think we're cool :)" I love my daughters acceptance and willingness to enjoy people for who they are and how they treat her not what she can do for them :) - Posted from rhpmobile
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RHP User
10 years ago
I love how you talked with your daughter and that even during those times of peer pressure she chose to believe in herself and not others........ This is what I'm talking about, we are lucky to be in amongst a generation that is more accepting and open. Thank you for sharing.
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RHP User
10 years ago
Who are in my year eight and nine classes are constantly touching and stroking each other quite unselfconciously....and nobody bats an eyelid....there are a few students who are openly gsy and supported in the school community...last year the school vice captain was a young man who was openly gay.....and btw,this is a Catholic School..xQ
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RHP User
10 years ago
Wow, can you picture this even 15 yrs ago...... I finally watched 21 jump street and noted that in the first part of the movie a gay classmate was punched and everyone was surrounding and supporting him, telling the guy who punched him, how uncool that was.........
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RHP User
10 years ago
The number of her friends who are gay and openly so at such an early age -she is 15 but many have come out at 13 or so. I asked if anyone was teased at school if openly gay and she said no not really It's just normal . Considering a child in glasses got mercilessly teased when I was at school this is such a huge step forward . So many stories around about gender issues too. It's no longer a dirty secret, just something that can happen. Bravo I say.
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RHP User
10 years ago
It is great to see. I do love to see the improvements as they happen and am often very impressed by most peoples acceptance and decency. But then all too often greatly disappointed by who can't accept....
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RHP User
10 years ago
I am at my local, thought I'd check Facebook and as I saw the first post come up by a friend announcing the start of her gender reassignment, she sat down beside and told me. So I gave her a hug and asked if she was going to get shin implants at the same time. She makes bigmamma look tall.
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RHP User
10 years ago
Lurk. Hp xo💋 Because you're worth it...
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RHP User
10 years ago
I was wondering - I live in inner city Brisbane, and I have friends in inner city Sydney and Melbourne where LGBT is strongly supported, as are other minority groups. We are a bit of a melting pot so that racial, sexual and religious differences are the norm. I agree with the observations above that the children growing up in these more tolerant communities are fantastic in their attitudes to others and I am always amazed at how my daughter and her friends just accept these differences as matter of fact. On the other hand, dealing with people who live outside this cosmopolitan ring in the capital cities is an eye opener for me some times in the old prejudices that I still find. I would be interested in the experiences of anyone who lived out in the 'burbs or the country towns because it seems that the tolerance has not spread that far.
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RHP User
10 years ago
we should all teach our children that we are all the same doesn't matter what colour religion or sex, and still we here in Australia are not heard by our politician, when so many Australians, as I can read on here are to stand for most of societies thoughts, why are we still so much in the dark ages ?We have still people who hate others for their religion and race....its not dead yet its still an undercurrent in Australia. I watched the document on Punchball on SBS.... my heart was bleeding....what ignorance we still teach out there. We as parents are responsible for the first impression our children get of this world...because they are born "clour" blind and without religion...then we teach them what is black and white....christian or Muslim.Sorry people maybe today is my dark day....I had a shitty one.You know I hope one day we all wake up and see each other for what we are..... living breathing creatures with lots of love for each other, and maybe one day we can fight the powers to be who teach us otherwise.
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uneventful
10 years ago
But I can say .. not everywhere is accepting .. on a reverse level. Im a seventh generation Australian. I work in a very heavy ethnic suburb.in sydney south west...and have for over 17 months..yet I still get stopped on the street on the way to and from work..and asked "what is the white girl doing in their suburb?" - Posted from rhpmobile
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RHP User
10 years ago
And strange conversations come up frequently. I remember one instance "Mrs B, I think I'm Bisexual" says Miss 14. "I've made out with 2 girls, I like it - the kissing, so I think I'm Bi" My first instinct, and correctly it turns out, was to encourage her to keep that particular piece I info about herself, to herself. Because, although LGBT propaganda is common and widely accepted - 14 yr old peers can and will use it as ammo towards bullying. In so many other instances I would strongly stand by a "be true to yourself" mentality - but knowing teenagers, how fickle they can be - I don't think any amount of education or global acceptance will change how the kids view others. DISCLAIMER - there's always acceptions to any argument - I made an educated desicion to advise her in the manner I did. She chose not to listen and was completely chastised for it. No, I did not say I told you so. Haha. - Posted from rhpmobile
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RHP User
10 years ago
Big Mamma, over the years we have seen lesbian and gay become more accepted in society, at least here in Australia, many now take it for granted that it has always been this way, or that the rest of the world is the same. It's not but one has to say that Australia has a general society that lets people live their lives as LGBT, that does not mean it doesn't have the bigots, racists or rednecks, goodness it does. The "T" part of LGBT is sadly not as accepted generally for a host of reasons, even within that community, they are not looked on well, feminists and lesbians often decry them as wannabee women, fakes, Pervs. In fact the most accepting people in society who understand and "get" transgendered people are women. Without a shadow of doubt I know that to be the case. Men, are fascinated but I am sure are worried that it will be catching, worry about their own sexuality if they find them attractive.. Transgendered people are blessed with the perception of both genders, both views of the world, yet often cursed with bodies that are not theirs. It is no surprise that those who pass well elect to live a life of stealth, but at such a cost. Can you watch as your history is airbrushed away while you watch and say nothing? The younger transgender diagnosis the better to stop the development of a disfigured body at puberty, the more chance of a better life. Personally, I am blessed, not cursed, I have the opportunity to live a life that few have or will, to see and experience both sides. For that in part I have to thank some wonderful people here in Australia. And remember not so long ago in this very same country I would have been committed to a mental institution, drugged, electro shocked, yes, we have come a long way, but still there is a way to go. But I for one could not have done it elsewhere, thank you Australia, and those who know and have met me? thank you too, for being such great friends.
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RHP User
10 years ago
I live and work in Scarborough on the Redclffe Peninsula 40ks North of Brisvegas xQ
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RHP User
10 years ago
Quoting 'SimpleNeeds2' I was wondering - I live in inner city Brisbane, and I have friends in inner city Sydney and Melbourne where LGBT is strongly supported, as are other minority groups. We are a bit of a melting pot so that racial, sexual and religious differences are the norm. I agree with the observations above that the children growing up in these more tolerant communities are fantastic in their attitudes to others and I am always amazed at how my daughter and her friends just accept these differences as matter of fact. On the other hand, dealing with people who live outside this cosmopolitan ring in the capital cities is an eye opener for me some times in the old prejudices that I still find. I would be interested in the experiences of anyone who lived out in the 'burbs or the country towns because it seems that the tolerance has not spread that far. I think it depends on the area. Some groups tend to congregate in the same place. I live near Daylesford in Victoria and that is a very country town and it has a very high population of gays. It is very accepted as far as I know there and would even go as far as to say it was encouraged. It is also a very trendy town for city people to visit. Even up the road in another town there was talk of a gay retirement village and I would never have thought it was good place to put it because I find the town quite backwards in most things. It may take off though as it is not too far from Daylesford either but I am not even sure if it is going ahead or not.
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goldcoastcple69
10 years ago
rhp really likes to keep comments pg dont they? anything too out there or controversial ?? takes them 3 minutes to delete lol almost like living in north korea ...go fuck yourself rhp
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RHP User
10 years ago
Q & Ralf, I am not saying there aren't tolerant attitudes outside the inner city. On the contrary, I find the inner city people sometimes live in a bubble. As part of my work, I speak with people from across Queensland and the degree of tolerance of minorities in my neighbourhood is considerably higher than what I see with people in some of the small Queensland towns. It is not uniform but some of places are like time capsules from 30 years ago. Having said that, Australia is considerably more tolerant as a whole than many other countries so it is all relative. I visit relatives in Singapore every year and come away thinking what a liberal place Australia is in comparison.
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RHP User
10 years ago
One of the goals I had when raising my step-daughter in my last relationship was to try and let her know how important acceptance was as soon as I recognised she could grasp the concept. My partner's family seemed to have great trouble with LGBT and considering that there were two gay sons in the family I was bewildered as to why these beautiful souls weren't acknowledged more so. It seemed by simply mentioning their names there was a real discomfort between the family members. It all seemed so stereotypical that these older W.A.S.P-like conservative Australians couldn't bring themselves to be more open about their realities. Should add that this was while living in Proserpine in North Queensland. I didn't want to consider geographical location as a reason for their awkwardness or negativity and put it more so to ignorance as far as them just not knowing how to feel about people who weren't "straight". What a shame. All I wanted for my daughter and her friends was for them all as young people to feel that if there was ANYTHING they felt strongly about, confused about or awkward about that they could at least come to my partner and I for open, non-judgemental ears. If she or one of her friends were to be part of the LGBT community I let them know that they were totally in their rights to feel exactly how they felt and that they would have our support first and foremost. It is with examples such as two straight parents bringing awareness, acceptance, care and empathy to the attention of our young people for our friends and family in the LGBT community that we shall have a positive effect on the current levels of ignorance with all generations.
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RHP User
10 years ago
the fact that we need to ask how accepting is society of people in the LGBTQ community might reveal that we as a society view people in the LGBTQ community as different and somehow need our acceptance - of course they are acceptable. No person should be judged by their sexual orientation. If a person in our society cannot accept another person based upon them having a different sexual orientation to another, well that is just sad and clearly reveals an issue in the person (or society) who cannot accept another person because they are different in some way.
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RHP User
10 years ago
Quoting 'simple_desires' the fact that we need to ask how accepting is society of people in the LGBTQ community might reveal that we as a society view people in the LGBTQ community as different and somehow need our acceptance - of course they are acceptable. No person should be judged by their sexual orientation. If a person in our society cannot accept another person based upon them having a different sexual orientation to another, well that is just sad and clearly reveals an issue in the person (or society) who cannot accept another person because they are different in some way. I think it will be at least another generation before trans people are accepted by the wider community. The whole acceptance thing is a depressing yet necessary first step, I suppose (though we'll always have phobic groups). While trans acceptance is not unlike social movements/revolutions that have gone before, those past lessons don't seem to act as a parallel lesson in acceptance. Unfortunately, it seems that society processes every cultural shift while blind to historical precedents.
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RHP User
10 years ago
Whilst I agree entirely with your post, sadly the human species have the tendency to pick on those who are different from mainstream because it makes those who do so feel superior in some way. The world is one of extremes, great love and joy but also great pain and cruelty, something in human nature allows people to inflict the latter for what ever reason they see fit often under a guise of society. Pain and suffering do not need to come from the end of a gun, it comes daily from the words of those who believe themselves to be righteous or politically correct.
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RHP User
10 years ago
"Everything that irritates us about others can lead us to an understanding of ourselves."
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RHP User
10 years ago
im an out there loud n proud transgender person ,,,,i meet new people everyday and have found very little negativity from people ,,im happy to chat with any one about my sexuality and find most people to be very accepting off us ,,,curiosity brings out there interest n when they do meet someone open n honest ,,,,,they realise we just normal people ,,fear of being labled a poof seems to keep men at a distance ,,but natural born woman have embrassed me openly as a sister i very raarelyely go out with the glbt community ,,most of my friends are straight and have many many of them ,,,,i love being a tg woman and in my opinion having an awesome transition ,,,,,,,,thanks to lots of accepting people like the community that is rhp ,,,love you all and happy new yr ,,xxxxxxx catherine
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RHP User
10 years ago
Take it from me. The fact that I must be placed in a group that I feel no affinity too, that has become politicized and popularised, shows no understanding of the fact that I am no different than a heterosexual. I don't want the distinction, I don't feel different, I don't want to feel different. I have as much in common with gays as I do with heterosexuals. Why cant we just be accepted as people? Why must we have the us and them? Why can't everyone just be taken on their individual merit? I am a rebel with my own unique cause, popularize it and I see the causes diluted, distorted, and hijacked. I consider the crowd mentality as humanities most dangerous aberration. Why can't we all just get along? Why must we take side?. There are just as many bigoted ass holes on both sides. Fight the cause of human conflagration not the arbitrary artificial boarder lines. I know where I am, and I am not taking sides. I will not be any part of a politicized group. It is anti democratic and serves us not good. Help the bigots not what they hate, they are the one with the problem, not me.
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RHP User
10 years ago
Blindman, I could not have said it more succinctly, I am not and nor do I want to be, an evangelist for a cause of nature, different only to others who deem to hold prejudice over you because of how you are made rather than a lifestyle choice. Society is all of us, yet none of us, it is a binding of uneducated easily led, headline readers with little appetite or care for facts. Mob rule is the condemnation of a few by those self righteous and arrogant to believe that their view is the only one everyone else should have. I did not choose to be made the way I am, I wish it were not so but I am proud of who I am and of my life despite its setbacks. Labels are societies way of discrimination. No label, no discrimination. Look to me for support, for help but not to lead, I am not proud to be TG, I am proud to be a woman.
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RHP User
10 years ago
I recently dated a young T girl, very beautiful but up close it was obvious she was born a boy.. going out in public was always interesting...I found most people would stare for abit before going on about their day. Some people would smile, other people would make it obvious they didn't like it.But not once did anyone ever verbally abuse us while we were together, which I think shows how our society is becoming much more tolerant of the LGBT community
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RHP User
10 years ago
I have just come back to this post and noted that my earlier reply to you wasn't up there. Not remembering everything I stated, the main point was........ Not many want to be an evangelist for a cause, we all want to be accepted for who we are, not what we can do. However, we appreciate the evangelists before us, for standing up and taking the slack so that all can be equal......... For our future and the future of all, I feel that we should all be an evangelist, be it loud with a crowd or softly to a friend, until it is no longer necessary and we are all equal it will be an ongoing cause...... Please, this is just my opinion, my thought, it is not judging or pointing fingers
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RHP User
10 years ago
I understand that view completely and also understand that just being me, and being successful in living with this condition can be seen as inspirational to some. Thats not meant to be arrogant, and i apologise if its seen that way. But to some its a glimmer of hope that for so many live in despair. One becomes evangelistic by default. Change comes through education and understanding but you don't have to be "loud and proud" to achieve it. I believe the best way I can influence change is by being myself, proud of who I am, the product of a life of experience that is seen in the woman I am today. I have learnt many things on my journey, I know who I am, not for me to sleepwalk through life but to stand in the face of adversity and condemnation from friends, strangers who do not know me, or family who thought they did. I may not want to be a label but I cannot deny that society has given me one, one I do not accept as accurate but demeaning. Evangelists come in all shapes and sizes, they are passionate and often challenging but always inspiring, too often condemned by those driven by fear, morality or hatred. But through those same evangelists comes change and acceptance, inspiration and understanding. I may not stand on a soap box in Hyde Park to be heard, but in my world I try to be understood, educate a little and be the best I can possibly be. I hope it's enough.
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