Acknowledging The Spectrum - TDoR

We're old, my hubby and I. The modern world is pulling him kicking and screaming into cultural and sexual identity awareness. I'm finding it rather liberating, he's finding it very confusing. Raised in a world of "male" and "female" as acknowledged identities, he's finding the sexual spectrum WAY confusing. I admit, it does take some thinking to acknowledge not only cis, but others along the spectrum. Yesterday, a crossword puzzle that he was doing had "them" as a clue for a plural reference used as a singular sexual identity and he was confounded. 

I admit, the use of "they" or "them" in reference to a single person who is gender fluid can be confusing. The first novel I read using the terms caused me to stumble for a while until I got into the flow and understood the manner in which it was used and the character using it. I have to assume that a cis-male raised in the Roman Catholic tradition and educated in parochial schools could have some problems with the expanded gender definitions and identities of today's populace. I imagine that people throughout the world have difficulties accepting some sexual identities and I know that people throughout the world, and also here in the USA, are bullied, assaulted, and even murdered because they identify as non-cis - i.e., somewhere different along the spectrum. 

Human sexual identity is not just black and white (or
blue and pink). There are varying degrees along
the wide spectrum. 

Every year there is a Trans-gender Day of Remembrance. This occurs in November, right around Thanksgiving Day. Did you know there is such a day? Have you ever read the Spreadsheet from top to bottom? Have you drilled down to other years? The 2017 spreadsheet I've linked here is accurate as of November 12, 2017. I'm quite sure there are names that have been added to this list since then. 

TDoR was held on November 20th this year. Why
did it take me so long to post this? A variety of
reasons, not least of which it took me this long to
read the entire list through my tears. 

We're moving into the major holidays now. Hanukkah is winding down, Christmas is coming quickly and Kwanzaa will follow on its heels. Then New Year is the start of a new slate for many. Perhaps it's time to think about those who are along the spectrum while you celebrate your holidays. My annual donations are all going to projects that support homosexual, trans-sexual, trans-gender and gender-fluid people, because 40% of all homeless people start out as kids who were kicked out of their homes because of their sexual identities. The people who were supposed to protect and love them, their parents or caregivers, turned their backs on them because of ... well, who knows why. There's really no excuse at all for that kind of behavior. 

People are people - anywhere along the sexual spectrum. Why are
we hearing about so many new definitions now? Maybe because
people are finally courageous enough to speak out. 

So today's blog turned into a bit of a downer, but let's be real, folks. In this season of happy and lights and Santa Claus, there is a darker side and there are people who are pushed away into the dark alleys because looking at them would be an embarrassment for too many others. Let's stretch out our hands and accept, help, and respect ALL peoples, not just the select few who fit our molds. Happy Monday - get your last-minute shopping done, wrap those presents, and have a great day!