Amy BoughnerYears ago we were invited over to a friends’ house for dinner and during that dinner one of our friends told us that he was going to be transitioning – that he would be him in the near future.
This was fairly easy to accept. For one, because it was clear he was confident and so was his partner, and for another because it made perfect sense, having known him for a short time. His transition seemed logical given our past interactions. We were happy for him. For both of them.
I did not know then what I know now about trans youth. That so many trans youth will kill themselves, or try to.
That’s what a lack of acceptance does.
And the thing about lack of acceptance is that we know where it comes from. It’s not coming from kids. Kids will accept anyone if they’re not specifically told by grown ups that something is wrong. Kids, presented with a boy who likes wearing dresses or nail polish, will not give a damn until an adult comes along and says that’s not okay.
It should not be difficult to accept your child for who they are. The love that I feel for my daughter? I can’t imagine a single thing that she could do that would make me stop or question. Especially not coming home with a girlfriend or telling me she’s a man.
But then there are those people who choose hate. Those people who don’t care that their hatred will cause deaths. Those people who somehow believe that the private lives of others somehow effect them. Those people who pretend they are preaching what Jesus taught them while completely ignoring the parts of the Bible that they don’t like.
They also don’t know their history – trans people have been around for decades at the very least, more likely centuries.
How can you actively make decisions that will kill a child?
Members of the Ontario PC Party are on the wrong side of history with this resolution, and the people of Ontario need to stand up.
